


truth hurts, secrets kill

by Selemetis



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gossip Girl AU, Just Give Me A Chance, M/M, Smut, Weird Plot Shit, cheating and smut are only in the first chapter, i don't promote that shit, i think........., it's just......... gossip girl, jellybean is in highschool, really it's worth it, so this is basically the season 1 of gossip girl meets riverdale, we dont know who the f gossip girl is, you get my point
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-09-17 20:09:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 35,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16981002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selemetis/pseuds/Selemetis
Summary: “Jughead, I gotta go.” she breathed in a rush. “I’m sorry, I’m so so so sorry.”She struggled with the door for a few seconds before she got to unlock it and let herself out. He left him there in his misery and joy, the guilt that joy brought upon him.Thus, with a kiss, Jughead died.//or, the Gossip Girl AU that no one asked for.





	1. (i think) we'd feel good together

**Author's Note:**

> heeey everyone!
> 
> so i wrote this fic back in february? i think? anyways, i thought it was garbage and no one liked it so i deleted it but the more i thought about it, the more i wanted to write it! this is only a 6 chapter long fic which was planned to be a lot longer (like, 100k fic longer) but you know, life and school and work happened and i just could write the scenes i wanted to see.   
> i hope you like it!

Jughead Jones, never willing to spend time with a wider circle of friends, found himself chugging a bottle of fine whiskey he stole from the Blossom's endless supply of alcohol. His white shirt and black hair were in a good kind of contrast and the dim light of the study room made him look even paler. He put his head on the back of the couch, watching the ceiling. This was too much, this was all too much.   
First his mother had left, now his father was facing a good time jail sentence. And what was he supposed to do right now? Enjoying his girlfriend's sweet sixteen as if nothing happened? Well, that's what you got when you dated Cheryl Blossom.   
Not that he didn't care about her happiness. Of course he did, why wouldn't he? She was there for him in her own ways, now only thing he could do, returning the favor, was showing up at her Met Gala kinda big party. And Jughead Jones would always return the favors he'd been done.   
  
But his dilemmas didn't end there, of course they didn't. He'd been thinking the karaoke show he had watched only ten minutes ago. The way the blondie had sung and danced... She was something else, Jughead always had known that. But she was something else especially tonight and he wanted to slam his head through the Blossoms' expensive wallpapers. Betty was just so... _beautiful_.   
  
And he wasn't the only boy in the goddamn Upper East Side who had noticed that. But Betty Cooper, the most beautiful girl in the entire city, was in the forbidden territory in more ways than one. She was Archie's girlfriend, to begin with. Jughead's lifelong best friend Archie Andrews had the guts to ask Betty out almost two years ago now and ever since that first date, they were New York's uprising it couple.   
Secondly, Betty was one of Cheryl's best friends. Not like the minions the redhead had throughout the whole school and probably the whole city, Betty was one of two (maybe three) people Cheryl Blossom actually cared besides her twin brother Jason who, by the way, so conveniently, dated Polly Cooper -- Betty's a year older sister.   
Suddenly Jughead wondered what did Veronica Lodge, Betty's best friend think about all of these weird connections between them. He saw her eyeing Archie from afar but never doing anything about it, he saw her encouraging Betty after the little lovebird fights she had with Archie. Jughead could be anything but oblivious wasn't one of them. But he also knew Veronica would lie any accusations coming her way about this delicate situation. So, yet again, he was all alone in his misery.

“Now there you are!” He snapped his head at the cheerful, lazy voice behind him. He groaned in frustration. It was Betty, of course it was. “And we,” she walked towards him, “Are here.” 

“At least lock the door.” Jughead pleaded. “I don’t want any other wondering eyes about my whereabouts.”

Betty stopped in the middle of her way to Jughead and shrugged, turning her back to him to lock the door. Jughead tried to look away from her direction because that dress with that back cleavage? Not good. Well, actually  _ really  _ good but not for him, anyways.

Betty was carrying a bottle of champagne with her when she fell to the couch next to him.

“What kind of people have an open bar in a study room?” She blurted out. “I thought Clifford Blossom was a  _ business-before-pleasure _ kind of a guy. At least that’s how he treats his children.” 

Her voice was low and the words were slurred. 

“Oh my, Betty Cooper,” Jughead tried to mock his way out of his disturbance. “Are you drunk?”

“Just a bit tipsy.” Betty said, this time with a more stern speech. “I just let everyone else think that I’m too drunk to have fun.”

“Smart.” Jughead chuckled. “Though you did seem like having fun back at the stage.”

The blonde took a deep breath as she stole Jughead’s bottle of whiskey. 

“I had to have fun. This is Cheryl’s birthday, remember? I’m not allowed to hide in the libraries.” 

“Thanks for the warning.” Jughead said, the corner of his mouth quivering up. “But I don’t think Cheryl has any concerns about me. Last time I checked she was having fun with the impeccable amount of affection from her minions.”

“Oh, there there, Juggie, are you jealous of your girlfriend’s minions?” 

Jughead glared at her and took the bottle back from her. 

“I may be many things, Betts, but being jealous over the girls I date isn’t one of them.” Betty turned her face at him and put her elbow on the back of the couch. “I just…” Jughead continued, “Everything is too much right now and I don’t think any of the people here can comprehend the weight of it. Or even care, for that matter.”

Betty put her hand on Jughead’s knee. 

“I care, Juggie.” she murmured. Jughead scoffed and rolled eyes at her.

“Oh really, Betty?” he asked. “When and where do you care, exactly? While having fancy dinners at Plaza with Archie? Or, I don’t know, making plans for Christmas at the beach house?”

Okay, he knew he was crossing a dangerous line here but enough was enough. Jughead was so done with the fake caring attitude of the Upper East Side. Nevertheless, Betty’s caring attitude didn’t seem to shaken but her hand wasn’t on his knee anymore.  _ Good _ . She looked down at her hand on her lap and shook her head slowly. Her fading smile was full of tiredness now.

“No.” she murmured, mostly to herself. “At least not anymore.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Jughead lost all his edginess over the implication.

Betty took a deep breath and pulled the unopened champagne bottle from her side, trying to rip off the fancy paper around it. 

“Archie and I broke up this morning.” she said, not meeting his gaze. 

“What the hell for?” Jughead asked. They were the perfect couple. Sickening, but perfect.

“Because he was too…” Betty waved her unoccupied hand as if trying to find the right words. “He was so…  _ himself _ , you know? He is such a good person and I like that about him the most but when things get complicated, Archie gets distance and, I don’t know, things weren’t as they should be between us lately. I guess we lost the appeal between us. He was like a fantasy, growing up, the boy next door and all the praise he got around him… But it turned out his all shine and glory wasn’t for me. So I called it quits.” 

“Huh.” Jughead said, unimpressed. “I didn’t see that coming.” Not that his opinion matters, but he could always see that Betty was too much for Archie anyways. 

“Please,” Betty said. “Everyone could see the so called spark was off for the last few months. Besides,” she finally made an eye contact with him. “It’s not Archie that I’m into anymore.”

“Oooh,” Jughead made a fake sitcom sound. “And who is the lucky gentleman? Or the lady, maybe? Please don’t say Reggie or Moose, please. But please do tell if it’s Veronica.” He was mocking with her. 

Betty took another deep breath and got off of the couch, going for the books. 

“I don’t think my silly little crush is available.” she said. “He is off limits in the ways more than one.” 

“Come on,” Jughead said in disbelief. “There is no man in the glorious New York City who is off limits for you, Betts. There are many men out there just would’ve dump their partners to get a smile from you.” Well, he was one for to know. 

Betty gave him a look over her shoulder. 

“No need to flatter me, Jones.” she teased. “I’m not gonna give you a name.”

“Oh, the good old secrecy.” Jughead said. “You know it’s not gonna work, right? We always have a creep to stalk us in this side of the city.”

“Even Gossip Girl can’t know about him if I just keep his name to myself and myself only, Jug.” she said, smiling. “And I didn’t tell anyone about this, so-”

“My lips are sealed.” He said, throwing an imaginary key away. “But come on, you can always tell me.”

Betty bit her lip as she sized him up. 

“I know, Jughead, that’s kind of the problem.”

Jughead cocked an eyebrow as she ignored him, trying to open the bottle of champagne. She got up and pulled an opener from somewhere. While she was at it, Jughead watched her. How could be someone this beautiful and all alone with the resident weirdo of New York. But when he was lost in thought, all of a sudden, she was on top of one of the bar stools and then on the bar, the bottle of champagne now was ready to be drunk in her hand. She walked down the bar like it’s a stage on her sharp heels, danced around herself causing the skirt of her dress creating a pink cloud around her. Jughead, with every ounce of his being, tried to look away from the sight and ignored the tightning in his chest. Before he knew, she almost knocked herself down and he realized it would be much more dangerous if he let her dance. So he got up and walked in her direction.

“Betts, come down.” he said flatly. “Or else you’re gonna break that tiny neck of yours.”

“Aww,” Betty made a face. “Would that be a said thing now? I bet half of the girls and some of the boys would be pleased if they heard that Archie’s ex ended up dead.” Okay, she wasn’t in a state of reasoning.

“You are not Archie’s ex, you are New York’s resident It Girl Betty Cooper.” Jughead said. “Don’t go so hard on yourself.”

“Now  _ that _ would make the birthday girl upset, wouldn’t it?”

Jughead frustrated at the mention of Cheryl suddenly.

“Betty, come the fuck down, will you?”

She pouted at his tone and stuck out her tongue.

“Make me.”

Jughead grabbed her ankles and made her look at him.

“Now.” he grumbled. Betty seemed to consider his offer for a second and then shrugged.

“You are persuasive when you want to be.” she muttered and slowly sit on her knees first, then swung her legs down the bar. Jughead was closer than he should be now, hands slipped on her thighs. He could smell the whiskey on her breath and he hoped she couldn’t his. She was everything he wanted not to dream about. And she was there. Close.

So close that it actually blurred his mind. So close that it made him want to do things he knew he shouldn’t even think of. 

She was so close now.

So he kissed her. With an urge of liquid courage in his veins, he pressed his lips on her strawberry glossed ones and didn’t pull back for a few seconds. When he did pull back, he saw her pupils wide blown, the bottle in her hand was left to its own fate on her side, long forgotten. He couldn’t bring himself to shake the memory of how soft her lips were seconds ago.

She slowly put down the bottle on the bar, took a shakey breath and then, he thought he was dead.

“It’s you.” she whispered. “The one I’m  _ into --  _ that’s you, Jug.”

She kissed him back and he thought, “ _ Consequences be damned _ ” in the back of his mind.

She gripped the collar of his jacket and he held her thighs a little tighter to part her legs and straighten his position. She put her feet on the stools either side of him and pulled him closer. His hand was now tangled between her locks and the other moved to her ass. She couldn’t help a small moan escaping from her lips and it drew Jughead a little more crazier. He left sloppy kisses on her neck and the crook of her shoulder and she grabbed his face to bring him back to her mouth. 

“Juggie,” she breathed between kisses. “We shouldn’t be doing this -- not right now.”

“Betty,” he moved to the other side of her neck and sucked until he gave her a bruise. “I completely agree.” He kept kissing her all over. “We definitely should not--” then he reached her clevage. “Oh  _ God _ , Betts.”

He pressed himself flush against her body and picked her up only to make her sit down one of the stools. When she felt him getting hard she whimpered.

“I don’t think we can go back from this.” she said in one final protest.

“No,” he stopped kissing her and looked her in the eye. “No, we can’t go back from this.” 

“Damn.” she pulled him once again and bit his lip ever so slightly. “Damn, Jug.”

He didn’t know whom she cursed but didn’t care at the moment. It didn’t matter if she dated Archie until this morning and it didn’t matter if he had a girlfriend.

They all should’ve. But they didn’t. Not when he learned she wanted him, too. Not when his hands were under her skirt, pulling the waistband of her panties. 

She reached for grabbing his ass and he shoved his hand into his back pocket to pull out a condom. He looked at her for permission and she gave him a sultry smile. She unzipped his pants with rushed moves and he couldn’t let himself enjoy the vision. He wanted her  _ so _ bad for  _ so _ long. Longer than he’d like to admit.

She kissed his neck and he knew she was trying her best not to leave any mark but he wanted to have her marks on her when she unbuttoned his shirt, shoving his jacket back. As if she wanted him. As if he was the one she needed so bad. Either way, he decided on getting as much as he could get. He was high on the thought of her wanting  _ him _ of all people when she grabbed him  _ there _ to put the condom on and he felt reddened instantly. There was so many questions flashing through his mind that he rather choke on them than answering them. He pulled her panties down her legs and left kisses when he stand up again. 

He thrust into her, gripping her legs, knowing there would be bruises there tomorrow morning and secretly being proud of it. A loud groan escaped from his lips and it was their luck that the music was so loud on the other side of their bubble. He waited for her to adjust the moment.

“Move,” Betty purred into his ear. “ _ Please _ .”

He moaned again at her voice and started to move back and forth until they picked up a pace. 

“Harder,” she said and bit his shoulder to quiet herself. “God, Jughead,  _ yes _ .”

“Betty, I’m--”

“Touch me.” she cut him off and moved his hand to her clit. Who was he to say no to her?

Her moanings were like a music he longed to hear and it was  _ ethereal _ . He was drunk on her, drunk on the feelings he had for her and it drove him to the edge. When he felt she was tightening around him he couldn’t contain himself coming hard. 

“Juggie.” she moaned for one last time before she came, too. 

It was the greatest shame of his life, popping the bubble around them. He pulled out carefully and took care of the less funny parts of the sex. He didn’t know how Clifford Blossom would explain a discarded condom in his trash can but he thought Mr. Blossom wouldn’t even look in it. It was a good thing he was a careless man.

Blossoms.

Cheryl.

It was her birthday today.

_ Fuck _ .

A wave of guilt washed him over and he couldn’t look Betty in the eye. He should’ve thought better than this. Not that he regretted what happened between them but because what it costed them. What it costed Cheryl. And Archie.  _ Oh, Archie _ .

Betty must had been thinking the same when he saw her adjusting her dress and grabbing her panties. Her hair was a mess and she looked in pain.  _ Was it because the sex-- _

“Jughead, I gotta go.” she breathed in a rush. “I’m sorry, I’m  _ so so so  _ sorry.”

She struggled with the door for a few seconds before she got to unlock it and let herself out. He left him there in his misery and joy, the guilt that joy brought upon him. 

Thus, with a kiss, Jughead died.


	2. part II - (i can't stand to be alone) let's go to perfect places

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for your interest in the story!! hope you'll like this one as well <3

It was a beautiful september morning when the first train of the day arrived to the station. People coming to the city could have a lesser effect than a news piece but when a particular blonde girl left the train with a small bag in her hand, not bothering with looking for her other bags, some of the people did turn their heads to take a look at her. It had been so long since someone worth gossiping for arrived to Upper East Side. 

Betty Cooper didn’t seem to care, though. She was frantically checking her phone if there was any missed call from her mother. She didn't realize the pictures of her were being taken and she definitely ignored all the eyes on her. It wasn't something new for her, obviously, but she didn't want to go  _ there _ right now. All she needed was to be with her family and friends today. She took a deep breath to subdue her anxiety.  _ Friends _ , if they were still.    
Somewhere in the middle of the station she lifted her head to see the familiar face of her chauffeur who worked for her family as long as she could remember and waved her hand at him. Yeah, maybe it wasn’t going to be okay right away -- certainly not under these circumstances anyway. But hey, this was her home, too.

As the car kept passing the streets of Manhattan, she put her head on the window and watched the blurry scenes before her. That was her school, the other was Veronica’s and her favorite breakfast place, she went to her first date with Archie on that bar… It had been a year since she left all those memories behind and fled the city.

 

Oh, she had so much making up to do. 

***

The Lodge parties were always big deals in the glorious New York City. If you had ever been to one, you couldn't help but realize how everyone was in sync with giving their admirations to the hosts. Everything was so in coordination, every servant walked around like some kind of fairies but to be perfectly honest, Hermione Lodge wouldn’t have it any other way. Everything about their parties and meetings  _ had to be  _ perfect. Today was no exception. Veronica Lodge would know.

But this time, the great apartment in the Upper East Side was hosting something much darker -- a funeral.

Jason Blossom’s symbolic funeral.

She couldn’t bring herself to care much, even though she’d never admit that. Jason was a reckless boy who never cared for anything except for his own pleasures -- much like his twin sister Cheryl. The Blossom Twins were inseparable, in the broad sense of word. They went everywhere together, they hated everyone together and he was actually the only person Cheryl Blossom truly cared. 

Yes, the Blossoms and the Lodges were going way back and yes, Cheryl was the closest person Veronica had to a best friend right now but… Jason was just missing, not dead. He could’ve been alive, he could’ve been hiding in somewhere for all they cared. None of them actually mattered to Veronica. What she actually cared was Polly Cooper’s current condition. Therefore, Betty’s current condition. 

Her best friend since their first steps at Central Park, her lifelong white to her black had been gone for almost a year now. And Veronica wondered if Betty cared enough to be there with her former best friends more than she did to Veronica’s letters that had been returned to the sender, unopened.

It could be funeral for the Blossoms but she knew that there was much bigger storm gathering around her life. 

See, she had  _ the perfect _ boyfriend on her arm. She had Archie in so many ways she had thought she wouldn’t before. When Betty left (without a goodbye or a notice, for that matter) a year ago, Archie was shocked. The couple had broken up beforehand but that didn’t stop Archie to blame himself -- for not being enough, for not being better for Betty Cooper. With the help of Veronica though, his agony lessened each day until a day in which he finally realized who was the better friend in the picture. The friendship turned into a something stronger and that something stronger turned into…  _ them _ . 

And now, if Betty did return like Gossip Girl indicated whole week, Veronica was afraid of losing what she built all by herself. But she was also afraid of having lost her best friend all together. She might be angry and she might be heartbroken. Hell, she might had felt a pan of guilt maybe but that didn’t mean she didn’t miss her. How couldn’t she? 

So needless to say, she didn’t have to fake a sad expression.

***

Jughead Jones was  _ on edge _ all day and it was not because of the morbid venue he was attending, no, Jason Blossom had it coming anyways. It was because he knew all too well  _ she  _ was coming back. He didn’t need to check Gossip Girl every damn second to know that, he just knew Betty wouldn’t miss a funeral for the world. Although Betty wasn’t one to flee over a night either, but that was another discussion he’d been having with himself for a year now.

He was wrecked, the day he learned that Betty was gone for good. He tried to call everyone he can reach -- her mother, her father living in a town called Riverdale outside of New York, he had called her grandparents but no… she was gone. Later that week he had heard from Veronica that the resident It Girl of New York had registered into a boarding school down in Connecticut, of all places. 

He had blamed himself. If he had had a some sort of self restraint or self respect, for that matter, maybe Betty wouldn’t leave the city, leave  _ him _ behind like that. However, it was all too late. He had stood there with the mistake he had done to his girlfriend and to his best friend all by himself, once left behind by a person he had cared for. 

But no more. 

Betty left, Jughead didn’t wait and life moved on. If she had chosen to come back now, he wasn’t going to wait around for her to bear her part of that mistake. Running for the hills wasn’t gonna cut it for him this time.

Cheryl Blossom, on the other hand, was totally a different story. He wasn’t dating Cheryl anymore, no. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to be there for her on a day like this. Yes, he was aware her attention towards him for the last few weeks now and yes, him and Cheryl was a familiar idea but that was all. Jughead knew better than that. First, they were exactly the opposite polars that does not attract. Screw the scientific facts, Jughead thought. Second, what they had had a year ago was just an expirement on both sides since dating one another was just too… easy? Yeah, not on a healthy realtionship level but they had same friends, they sorta grew up together and it only made sense. However, Jughead learned that relationships were not just about being easy and all. 

Now Cheryl, who told everyone that she had dumped Jughead because of his father’s financial situations, was clearly making moves on him and Jughead didn’t know how to put a stop to it during the funeral and all.

 

Boy, did he need a smoke.

***

If you’d ask Archie Andrews to describe his life in one word, he’d tell you that it was  _ glorious _ . He had everything he wanted in life,  _ fucking finally _ . He was the quarterback of his school and the most promising young man of Upper East Side. He dated the most beautiful girl in the world and he had the best friends he could hope for. He had everything and he was okay with it. 

But now, there he was, in a memorial that he thought he’d never had to attend, escorting his girlfriend. 

But of course, there was this lump in his throat for the reasons beyond Jason Blossom’s doom and gloom. 

It was Betty Cooper. 

Now, when he thought about it, it was hard to bring one’s self to be irritated by Betty’s presence. Archie of all people knew that Betty was loved not because of her wealth or her looks but her vibrant personality. She was the absolute sweetheart, the bravest of them all, the actual pink perfection like Veronica would love to address her as. She was kind at heart and all but Archie, Betty’s first boyfriend, was absolutely disturbed by the idea of her coming back. Why? Why left to begin with, actually? The questions were beyond Archie but if he was sure of one thing, his lovely ex girlfriend and childhood best friend wouldn’t come back just because of a funeral. 

Maybe she missed him.

But did  _ he _ miss her?

Did it matter anymore?

***

Cheryl combed her hair, watching her reflection through mirror and practiced her words once again. 

“ _ I will miss Jay-Jay for the rest of my days.” _

_ “Jason will not be forgotten and will be honoured as long as the name Blossom continues.” _

They were good, to say the least.

She wouldn’t have to practice those if it wasn’t for goddamn Polly Cooper. Because of that cuckoo, Cheryl now had to say goodbye to the only person she actually loved and pretend like she felt sorry for Polly and the rest of the Cooper family. As if she’d shed even a tear for that white washed Addams Family.

She hated all of them. Polly used her brother. Betty used  _ her _ . They were all supposed to be best friends, the best and brightest of New York -- but no,  _ oh no _ , they were all bunch of liars and hypocrites. They all ruined Cheryl’s life what was supposed to be -planned to be- a fairy tale. 

She didn’t want to think any of them, not today, not ever again. She of course knew the prodigal bitch was coming back to town and she of course knew that meant something bigger than it was. Betty Cooper was stealing attention what was supposed to be directed at Cheryl today. 

But of course.

She was Betty Fucking Cooper.

She wasn’t anything if she wasn’t an attention seeker at its finest.

Cheryl needed something hers on her side today. Something or someone  _ belonged _ to her at some point.

Heartbreak was a bitch.

 

“Jughead?” she called his name in the middle of the balcony. “Do you have a second?”

Seemed to be taken aback by the kindness in her tone, Jughead startled for a second. 

“Yeah, uh, what’s the matter?” he snuffed out his cigarrate. “Sorry about that I know you don’t like it. Especially not during--”

“It’s not that.” Cheryl waved her hand dismissively. Her smile was like the ones on a Barbie -- seemed genuine but you knew it was plastered on her face permanently. Jughead knew these kind of smiles she had used before.

“What is it?” he repeated his question.

“I just thought that…” she stepped closer. “On a day like this I realize who is there for me who actually cared for me and--”

“Cheryl.” Jughead put his hands on her shoulder and took a step back. “Don’t. You know it’s not gonna work on me.”

“What?” she asked somewhat innocently yet annoying just as much. 

“I’d like to be here for you as your  _ friend _ .” he emphasized on the word. “But we don’t work as a set. And come on, this is not the time for that.”

Cheryl also took a step back and crossed her arms on her chest. 

“A friend, Jughead?” she sneered. “Because you make  _ such _ a good example on that. Can’t you just step out of your spider webbed comfort zone and see--”

They heard people gasping inside and Jughead saw a certain Ginger Lopez coming through their way.

“Not now, Cheryl.” Jughead muttered.

“Cheryl!” Ginger busted in. “You  _ have to _ come inside!”

Cheryl gave a frustrated sigh and rolled eyes.

“And why pray tell, Ginger?”

Ginger looked at her and Jughead like in a tennis game and took a dramatic breath.

“Betty is here. She is back.”

Cheryl didn’t even flinch and turned at Jughead with her signature Blossom smile.

“Well isn’t that just  _ great _ , Jughead?”

Jughead passed her and Ginger without answering. 

 

There she was. With an uncomfortable look on her face, dressed in all black but didn’t neglect the ponytail, there she was standing in the corner of the room all by herself. It seemed like no one was ready to talk to her yet.

He shoved his hands into his black pants pockets, didn’t make a move across the room. She still didn’t see him, as predicted.

When he decided he should at least make is presence known, he was cut off by a certain raven haired princess.

“Betty!” Veronica exclaimed and rushed towards her with open arms. “Oh my God, you came!”

Anyone who knew Veronica very well could tell that her excitement was somewhat forced. But hey, could anyone really blame her?

Jughead couldn’t hear Betty’s answer but he realized she wasn’t in the mood for faking it. She asked something to Veronica and when the other it girl pointed at his direction, he adjusted his posture unconsciously. But she was looking over his shoulder, where he left Cheryl. 

When Betty walked towards him, he couldn’t help his soft smile.

***

Betty took a deep breath before she had the courage to look Cheryl in the eye. It wasn’t because of the grief but it was certainly because of her a year old betrayal. It didn’t take a genius to know that. 

She tried to swallow the lump in her throat when she passed Jughead by and touched his shoulder by doing so.  _ No, _ she wanted to tell him,  _ not now _ . 

“Hey,” she could come up. “Hey, Cheryl.” 

Cheryl, on the other hand, with a smile that could mean so many different things, pulled Betty to herself and hugged her.

“Oh, Betty, it’s so good to see you.” 

You could guess that not just Betty but none of their friends didn’t see that coming.

“It’s…” she had yo cough, “It’s so good to see you, too, Cher, although I wouldn’t wanna be under such circumstances.”

“Of course.” Cheryl muttered when she let her go. But I guess you wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t such a morbid event, now would you?” she squeezed her arm without hearing her answer. “How is Polly holding up?”

Okay, so Betty could agree that she had it coming. But Polly still was a delicate subject to refer and it took everything in her to not fire back.

“She… is holding up.” she said with a forced smile. “I’ll let her know you are worried.”

Cheryl sighed in a tired way and passed her to snake her arm to Jughead’s. 

“This is all just so exhausting.” she said. “Jughead? Would you take me to my room?” 

Betty tried not to flinch at Jughead’s raised eyebrows.

“I’ll send Ginger with you.” Jughead slowly freed himself from her arm. “Is that okay?”

Cheryl’s smile faltered and turned her attention to Betty again. 

“Betty, thank you so much for coming.” she said in a voice sweet like maple syrup. “We need our good friends on days like this one.” She gave a dramatic breath before she left a kiss on her cheek. “Nay, our  _ best _ friends, don’t you think?”

Betty’s shoulder tensed.

“Totally.” she answered. “I’ll make my absence up to you, Cheryl.”

The redhead left out a small laughter and looked Betty in the eye in a way only she was capable of: sweet as hell yet frightening twice as much.

“You better, Baby Cooper.” 

And with her punchline, she left the trio alone.

Betty tried to look Veronica in the eye but she was intentionally avoiding Betty’s every attempt. Could she blame her, though? Veronica was one of few people who had nothing to do with Betty’s departure and yet she got caught in between. 

“V, I’m--”

“It doesn’t matter.” Veronica said dismissively. “We have time for that.” She raised an eyebrow. “Right?”

“Of course.” Betty said quickly, surprised at her easy tone since she knew that an angry Lodge was a lot more dangerous than a provoked snake. “How about tonight?”

“No can do, B.” V gave her a lip. “I have… plans for tonight. I’ll call you tomorrow. Now I really need to handle this waitress or else my mom is gonna fire her back where she came from.” she gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and left her and Jughead alone.

The awkward silence grew strong. 

“Jug--”

“Betty.”

She startled at the firmness in his voice. Also, she forgot how beautiful it was.

“I’m sorry.” she continued, ignoring his attempt to overtalk her. “I shouldn’t have left you like that that night.”

“I figured that much.” he shot. “You shouldn’t have left at all, actually. Leaving everything for me to bear… Not your classic moves, I must admit.”

Betty tried to relax her fingers digging her palms.

“I sorta knew you’d thought that.” she said under her breath. “But, Jug, I swear I never wanted to hurt you.”

“Excuse me?” Jughead left out a humorless chuckle. “Betty, you did the only thing that could actually hurt me and you didn’t come back to make it right.”

“I know.” she said with teary eyes and hated herself. “But you must know--”

“Yeah I think I must know stuff by now.” he interrupted.

“I didn’t leave…” she lowered her voice. “...because of what happened between us.”

Jughead pressed his lips together and looked at her as if he didn’t believe her.

“You didn’t come back for me either.” he said. “Why try and make amends now? Tell me, Betty, would you  _ ever _ come back if it wasn’t for a funeral?”

Betty couldn’t hold his piercing gaze and bit her trembling lip before she spoke.

“I didn't--” No, it wasn’t hers to tell. “I don’t know, Jughead.” she said finally. “I don’t know.”

Jughead nodded and smiled.

“Thought so.” was the only thing before he left her in the middle of the living room.


	3. part III - it must be hard for you (not to scream my name)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey, i know it's not a great fic. but i'm pretty proud of it so... there you go. 
> 
> unbetad

“Where is she, mom!?” Betty shouted. “You said she’d be fine by now!”

Alice Cooper rolled her eyes at her daughter and sat down on their newly brought couch.

“Calm down, Elizabeth,” she said, annoyed at her daughter. “It’s not like we put her in prison for god’s sake!”

Betty crossed her arms at her chest and started tapping her feet.

“Let me guess -- she’s over at grandma’s in Miami.” she sneered at her mother. 

Alice stood up, walked past her daughter and poured herself some coffee without looking at her.

“Riverdale is beautiful at this time of the year and your father volunteered to play the sensitive father role.” she dismissively waved her hand. “And I thought -- why not let him have this one? Polly already needed some quiet place to think--”

“About what, exactly?” Betty insisted.

Alice gave her a cold look and put her coffee down, walking towards her younger daughter.

“You weren’t around, Elizabeth!” she nearly yelled at her. “You were at that god forbidden school, doing god knows what--”

“I told you that school wasn’t like that! They helped me!”

“Oh, I hope they did, sweetheart. Because from now on, you are under my roof and you are gonna respect my decisions! No more questions about Polly! Now but about your school,” she lowered her voice to her usual self. “I think it is best for you to--”

“Oh my god, mom!” Betty stormed off and looked for her handbag. “If I stay here one more minute I think I’ll go crazy!” She found it on the couch, took it without checking it and adjusted her dress by looking at mirror. 

“Elizabeth!”

Betty turned at her mother, with a sickeningly sweet smile on her face.

“I’ll see you tonight, mother.” she said. “Or not, I’m not sure, really. Don’t wait up!”

And she left the penthouse.

***

She didn’t know where to go, not sure if she was going to be greeted as how she had been greeted before -- she wondered if people still liked her or more accurately, if people still cared about her. She wouldn’t know about that without making a damage control now, would she?

She found a relatively small and hipster vibed café down Upper East Side and ordered a nonfat latte. While she waiting there sitting, she pulled out her phone and hoped Veronica still used the same number and wanted to see Betty.

 

Apparently, yes she did and for the latter matter… she sorta did? 

“V, hey, it’s Betty!” she said in a rushed when Veronica answered in the third ring. 

“Betty, oh my god, I didn’t have your new number!” she sounded in a rush.

“Yeah, uh, one of many things on my list to make up to you, V, I was just… wondering if you are up for, I don’t know, a coffee at our favorite--?”

“Oh, come on,” Veronica interrupted her agony, somewhat irritated. “Make it a lunch at Gramercy in twenty. I don’t think we can cover the basics over a coffee, Betty.”

So, okay, that was a start. At least she didn’t want to slam the door on her face.  _ Yet. _

 

Waiting for Veronica to show up, however, was a ritual that Betty was familiar with. This was all Veronica Lodge -- a brand she tried so hard to separate from her father’s. Ten minutes later than they were decided upon, there she was in all her glory and pearls -- Betty Cooper’s lifelong best friends, V to her B, black to her white and all that juxtapositions Gossip Girl loved so much to put on the girls. Betty raised at her feet as soon as Veronica approached their table by the window. They hugged, both carrying a some kind of sad smile. As they sat their chairs and ordered their favorites, Veronica cleared her throat.

“So… you are back. Not calling, not letting us know in the first place but hey, you didn’t do that when you left, now did you?”

“Veronica, look, I know--”

“No, Betty,  _ you actually don’t know _ .” Veronica cut her long thought speech with a move of her hand, barely managing not knocking the water bottle over. “You  _ don’t _ know how I felt when I found out you were gone. From your mother who, by the way, was really happy to deliver the news. You  _ don’t _ know how I felt when my father was arrested and my best friend wasn’t there for me. You  _ don’t _ know,” her voice cracked and she blinked her tears away, “how much it hurt, leaving a thousand voicemails to your phone, knowing you won’t respond.” 

She wasn’t gonna stop now, Betty knew better. It was best to let Veronica get it all out before she actually explode.  _ They didn’t name hurricanes after women for no reason,  _ Veronica once told her. 

“Polly didn’t tell any of us because, surprise surprise, she was just as well shocked like the rest of us! Archie -- oh my God, Betty, Archie thought it was all his fault. He actually blamed himself and, and…” she stuttered, took a deep breath and avoid Betty’s gaze. “He was a wreck, Betty.”

Betty raised an eyebrow at the mention of her ex boyfriend and crossed her arms, leaning back against her chair.

“I’m glad he wasn’t alone in all this.” she said in a knowing tone and that drove Veronica’s attention. “He seemed… pretty okay to me the other day, even for a funeral.”

Veronica’s ice cold storm melted instantly and she took a long sip from her water. 

“Look, Betty, you two were broken up and he was--”

“Veronica, it’s okay.” she cut her this time, with a soft smile daring to appear on her pink lips. “I don’t blame you or accuse you of anything… I just spent the night reading Gossip Girl, you know, to catch up and I may or may not saw a few pictures dancing around.”

“We always thought maybe you’d see and come along to get mad at us.” Veronica admitted somehow a little bit shyly. “One might say I even kinda… hoped, you’d be back. Even because of Archie and I…”

Betty’s smile disappeared and she reached for Veronica’s hand on the table.

“V, I am so, so sorry. It wasn’t you or Archie or anyone. I had to go because of myself. And you just… caught up in between. Seriously, I never wanted to--”

“Then why did you?” Veronica asked. “If it wasn’t for Archie, why did you leave the city right after Cheryl’s party?”

Betty smile was frozen on her face, eyes stopped shining. She swallowed hard on her thoughts and just gave her a nod.

“Maybe another day, V, would that be okay?”

Veronica seemed to be in conflict between whether pushing her or not for a second. Deciding on the latter, she just smiled.

“Does that mean you are staying?”

Betty’s iconic soft smile was back on and she squeezed her friend’s hand. 

“Yeah,” she said. “That’s the plan. And I promise,” she added quickly before Veronica could object, “I’ll let you know if anything changes.” The brunette seemed satisfied.

“Then you should definitely come to my party tomorrow night.” she said. “We can do shopping in the morning and spend the day at my place, getting ready. My dad just got a place and I thought, after everything, why not give it a start with a nice party to take the edge off, you know.”

“V, I don’t know if everyone wants to see me, you know, maybe I should just--”

“Nonsense!” Veronica shushed her. “Kevin is also back from Paris with his new hot boyfriend and I am  _ dying to _ see how compatible he is with French men. He’s gonna be super excited to see you!”

“Do you think others will think so?”

“Oh, come on, Cheryl is always Cheryl but I know for a fact that she misses you, B, you were the one who eased our raging Queendom wars. She cannot unleash her chaos without someone balancing it.”

This made Betty chuckle a bit.

“How about Jughead, though?” she asked, trying not to give away anything.

“Why would he not want you there?” Veronica asked and Betty’s mouth went dry. Lucky for her, it was a rhetoric question. “He isn’t exactly the party animal but he behaves. Occasionally.” she winked.

“ _ Oh my god, V _ ,” Betty laughed and took a deep breath. “But… if  _  you  _ want me there, then I’m happy to oblige.”

“Yay!” Veronica clapped her hands. “We are gonna have  _ so much _ fun, B!”

Well, Betty sincerely hoped so.

***

There were three things one should know before entering a Lodge party.

You could not drink less than the host.

You were definitely obliged to have fun.

And last, but not least, there was always at least one drama waiting to be exploded.

So when Betty entered the newly decorated casino inspired bar, she vainly hoped that the drama wouldn’t be hers to deal with. 

“Oh my god, Betty Cooper!” Two girls shrieked in unison. Betty sighed and put a fake smile on her face, the one she had been practicing her whole life for the magazines and all. To be perfectly honest, Ginger and Tina was quite the TMZ. Besides Gossip Girl, of course.

“Ginger, Tina!” Betty greeted them, tilting her head to the left. She squeezed Ginger’s arm and avoided a hug catastrophe professionally. “How are you?”

“We are  _ great _ !” Tina said. “Look at this place, isn’t it incredible? My father’s company personally decorated this place as a courtesy for Mr. Lodge.”

“Exactly! And where have you been?” Ginger cut to the chase with a wicked grin on her face. “Gossip Girl said you were dead after a wild party in Hollywood! And there was this girl on GG who said you were doing drugs with the prince of Monaco!” She put a fake sadness on her face. “Are you okay, Betty? We were worried about you.”

Betty, stuck between their questions took a deep breath but before she got to answer them, Cheryl interrupted. 

“Now, now, Ginger, everybody knows that you shouldn’t rely on what Gossip Girl has said or not said  _ yet _ .” She stood between them and Betty, her back against the blondie. “Now go you mingling monkeys, I bet Baby Cooper here has enough on her plate for tonight.”

While her minions scattered away, Betty touched her shoulder with an apologetic smile. 

Thank you, Cheryl,” she said with a soft voice. “For saving me the trouble.”  Cheryl’s smile seemed a little bit forced but hey, she was Cheryl Blossom. Her genuine smiles are mostly a warning for a chaos ahead. 

“But of course, Betty,” she said, removing Betty’s hand on her shoulder kindly. She gave it a light squeeze. “You are one of my best friends, I wouldn’t want Ginger to prey on your secret  _ randevouz _ .” Betty gave a light breath, she may have dodged Ginger and Tina, but she was sure as hell that Cheryl wouldn’t be the same. “However, dear  _ former _ It Girl, I am glad to see you back in one piece. I heard the boarding school you went was a true Dickinson hell.”

“It wasn’t that bad, really.” Betty smiled. “Calmness and serenity was good to me.”

“You mean  _ boring _ was good to you.” Cheryl corrected her and gave a little chuckle. “But now that you are back in the game, what is the next move?”

“What do you mean?” Betty felt defensive of herself.

“Oh, come on, Betty,” Cheryl raised her hand. “The infamous It Girl is back in New York right at my brother’s funeral and she is suddenly all the talk in the town. You must have been planning a big return, right? I mean, your absence created a big rush before.”

“I am nothing like before.” Betty gritted her teeth. “The boarding school has… changed me.”

“I didn’t mean anything like that,  _ chéri _ .” Cheryl gave a kind smile. “I just… missed you, Betty. We were best friends once, you and I. Long before all this Polly and Jason thing, even when you were with Veronica…” she said and Betty felt a knife of guilt in her stomach, twisted by Cheryl’s words. “You and I shared this same frequency that made me trust you and you know me, I don’t trust people besides Jason.” She took a shaky breath and dropped her gaze at her feet. “And now that he is gone… you and Veronica is all I have left. Even  _ Jughead _ isn’t around anymore.”

Betty cleared her throat and suddenly needed a good glass of champagne. 

“Yeah, I read that one on Gossip Girl last night. Sorry that things didn’t… work between you guys.”

Cheryl raised an eyebrow and a sly smile creeped on her lips.

“Are you, now?” Before Betty could say anything, Cheryl linked her arm around hers and directed them to the bar. “I mean, you two always got along well. I just assume you’d be on his side about this. After everything with his father, I just… couldn’t be with him, you know.”

 Betty’s temple was wrinkled with her implications but that was, yet again, such a Cheryl move. Unfortunately. But she was kind enough to not face her with the fact. For a second, she wondered, nonetheless, if it was the reason their break up.

“But enough of my boy drama, Betty dear,” she said as she ordered two glasses of champagne. “What do you think about the new It Couple of New York? I mean that was even a shock to me.”

Betty rolled her eyes and gave Cheryl a look that saying she didn’t believe her sincerity in the slightest. 

“I am happy as long as they are.” She simply put. “Archie is a great guy and Veronica is one of the best people I know. They are good for each other.”

“I don’t know about being good part, though.” Cheryl said as she sipped from her drink. “It didn’t take them even a week, you know. That’s not what a good friend does.”

“Veronica is still a good friend, Cheryl,” Betty said with a warning in her voice. “Her dating Archie doesn’t change that.”

Cheryl threw her long red hair from her left shoulder to her right and gave Betty a long gaze in disbelief.

“But of course, Betty,” she smiled. “You always had had different thoughts about friendship.”

Betty tried to copy her smile, failed miserably, needles to say. She looked for some kind of distraction and Veronica and Archie coming through her way gave her a good one.

“Excuse me,” she said in a rush and went to greet her best friend and ex.

“V! I thought you’d be here in five!”

Veronica gave her a dismissive wave.

“Oh, sweetie, you know daddy and her meddlesome behavior when it comes to my parties. We were just heading, and he didn’t shut up about how discreet we should be and all that jazz.”

“Sounds like Hiram Lodge.” Betty pressed her lips into a smile and looked at Archie who seemed sort of uncomfortable between them. “Hey, Arch, how are you?”

Archie swallowed his thoughts and seemed in conflict. For a few seconds he just looked at her and Veronica like a puppy watching a tennis ball.

“Uh, hi, Betty.” He said finally. “I am, uh, okay. It’s good to see you back in home.”  And there it was, the signature Archie Andrews smile that always made Betty feel safe. “Ronnie said you are here to stay,” he continued and swallowed again, “I, uh, we missed you.”

“Thank you, Archie, I appreciate it a lot.” Betty said with a kind smile and nothing more. “So, what should we expect from tonight, V?”

Veronica’s momentarily frozen smile shined again and unlinked her arm from Archie’s to clasp her hands together as if she was dreaming.

“Well, I for myself expect lots and lots of alcohol. Also, Reggie promised a good weed from Brooklyn and I’d like to trust his work on that.”

“Tell her about the dancers.” Archie nudged her with a grin on his face.

“Archie! That was going to be a surprise!” But she was smiling as well. “Oh well,” she shrugged. “Daddy allowed me to invite some certain exotic dancers, B, they are amazing just wait and see!”

“I wouldn’t dream of it any other way.” Betty chuckled. “So…” she looked around and there was barely ten people there. “Is this going to be a private party?”

“Of course not!” Veronica promised. “Kevin will be here a little bit late but you know his fashionable late principle. Moose and Midge will also be attending and of course, Jughead should be here any minute!” then she sighed happily. “And after midnight, the bar will be open for public as well.”

“Fascinating.” Betty murmured under her breath. Of course, what did she expect? Not to see him for the rest of her life? 

As if on cue, she looked towards the door and saw him under the dim red lights of the bar. The signature beanie was gone for the night, a dark suit that looked sinfully good on him, a hand in pocket and the other traveling in his unruly jet-black hair nervously. Betty smiled at the familiarity of all these. Him without his beanie, always a foretell for his nervous state. 

He saw her. Of course, he saw her, he’d always seen her. She kept her gaze on him as he met her eyes, lips not turning into smile but a frown unlike hers. They locked eyes for a second until Archie distracted Jughead from afar with his waving hand. Jughead seemed to hesitate for a second there as if he couldn’t decide if he should come. Betty couldn’t blame. 

But deciding otherwise, Jughead came closer and gave them a nod.

“Classy place you got here, Veronica.” He said. “Seems… less trashy than the rest of your father’s places.”

Veronica glared him for a second before gave into a smile.

“Thanks, Jug, it means a lot coming from you.”

“Always appreciate the good art,” Jughead shrugged. “’Sup, Arch?”

“Same old,” Archie shrugged as well, not noticing the tension growing. “How about you?”

Jughead avoided Betty’s gaze on him.

“Same old.” He repeated his best friend. “I’m gonna go grab a drink, you guys want anything?”

“No, I’m good.” Veronica said. “Archiekins, B?”

“I’m fine.” Betty murmured and told something about restrooms before she left them.

However, right before she could have some solitude, her way was cut by none other than a certain Kevin Keller.

“O-M-G!” Kevin squeaked. “As I live and breathe, Betty Cooper!”

“Kevin, oh my god!” Betty threw her arms around her best friend. “I thought you couldn’t make it!”

“And I thought I’d never see the day of your return!” Kevin hugged her back. “Prodigal It Girl returns – damn, this would be a good title for GG but hey, I’m better than some loser behind a computer anyways.”

When they were parted, Kevin kept holding her hand and looked her in the eye. “All jokes aside, Betty, I am just so glad to see you back.”

Betty raised a playful eyebrow at him.

“So you are not going to scold me for my absence like others did?”

“Come on,” Kevin grinned and directed her back to the bar. “Of course I will. But as for now, I am just gonna enjoy that my best friend is back and can meet with my hot new boyfriend.”

“I heard about that!” Betty smacked his chest, laughing. “I am surprised that you got over Joaquin, though.”

“TBH,” Kevin sighed and his smile faltered a little, “Joaquin do not deserve even the half of me. Alain, however,” he sighed again, dreamily this time. “Is a true Frenchman an American needs.”

“Alain? Betty asked. “As in Alain Delon?”

“If only I had a time machine!” Kevin rolled eyes at her. “But no… Just Alain. Without Delon. He kinda meets up to my demands in the area, though.”

“Well, where is he then?”

“Over there,” he pointed towards Archie, Jughead and Veronica, “being grilled by our one and only Miss Lodge.”

“Poor him,” Betty faked a pitying frown.

“Bless him,” Kevin corrected. “Oh, Betty, he was so good to me. Wait till you hear his accent!” He waved his hand towards Alain and a hot brunet smiled at him before walking towards them. “Alain,” Kevin draped an arm around his waist. “Meet Elizabeth Cooper, my best friend and New York’s long-lost Princess.”

“ _ Enchanté. _ ” Alain kindly smiled at her and kissed her hand. “Kevin,” he said with a deep French accent, “tells me here you are all the talk in New York. Glad to meet you in person, Elizabeth.”

“Betty, please,” she corrected him. “Kevin just likes to use my full name to embarrass me.”

“But why?” Alain asked. “It is indeed a royal for a princess.”

“Kevin, you were right.” Betty turned at her best friend. “I am truly charmed.”

“Told you!” Kevin smiled and leaned against Alain. “So, tell me, Betty, what did I miss since you are back!”

“It’s just been two days, Kev.” She rolled her eyes.

“Exactly!” Kevin insisted. “Do not spare me the details and tell me everything.”

Betty chuckled at his enthusiasm and ordered three glasses of champagne.

“I will, but preferably at brunch or spa, with Veronica included.” She passed them the glasses. “For now, we are gonna have a toast to celebrate this union!”

“And your return!” Kevin offered. “Cheers!”

As the three of them raised their glasses, Betty looked around to see if anyone was watching her. She kept her smile up, laughed at Alain’s jokes and made sure she looked fine when she saw Jughead clearly staring at her.

She wasn’t fine at all.

She excused herself, for mumbling about restrooms once again and left the couple at the bar to direct toilets. She knew Jughead was still watching her, couldn’t bring herself to care at the moment.

She found the first door that was opened to an abandoned room, probably was destined to be a cloakroom but now left alone for Veronica’s future plans. There was a round couch in the middle of the room and she nearly fell on it with agony. She knew it was going to be harder to gain Jughead back than Veronica, but oh dear god, she didn’t think it would be that hard. She couldn’t keep her tears back now and it gave her a certain relief being alone in the room. The sort of relief she felt when she had first registered her private room in the boarding school.

She took a few deep and long breaths before her loneliness was interrupted with the sound of the door. 

“Didn’t think you’d miss out your big return out there.” The familiar male voice said gently behind her. Betty shut her eyes and let a few drops fall down on her cheek before she turned at the voice.

“I needed a clear place to get it together.” She said with a shaky voice. “I forgot how… intense Veronica’s parties could be.”

Jughead took a deep breath and stepped closer to her, gazing the room and nodding. 

“The night even started yet.” Jughead chuckled humorlessly. “And here you are, our It Girl, hiding in a room. What gives?”

Betty raised her eyebrows and wiped the tears on her face. 

“Look, I know you’d be angry at me and you have every right to be, Jughead,” she said. “But I didn’t think you’d hate me so much that you wouldn’t even acknowledge my presence.” 

Jughead seemed in conflict for a second but he cleared his throat and pushed his hands into his pockets. 

“And I never thought you’d leave me right after…” He gulped. “Right after  _ that night _ . I never, ever thought that you’d be so disgusted by what we did and flee the city afterwards. But here we are, Betty.”

“I know,” she whispered. “I know what I caused and Jughead… you had nothing to do with all of it. I swear it wasn’t even your fault.”

“Not my fault?  _ Not my damn fault? _ Betty, I faced everything after you were gone. And by everything, I mean every single person. I couldn’t look Archie in the eyes  _ for weeks _ and Cheryl – you know what?” he took a deep breath and raised his hands. “You don’t even get to know what kind of a mess you left behind.”

Betty swallowed her tears and words back and he kept going on and on.

“I am sorry for leaving you for something wasn’t even your fault, or your burden to bear. I am so, so sorry.”

“It’d be good to hear this a year ago.” He said bitterly. “And,” he pointed the space between them. “I don’t think us in an empty room at a party isn’t really a good idea.” After his obvious remark, he left the room with an alone Betty Cooper in it. 

However, this time Betty followed him to the bar. He had already ordered a whiskey when she got to him.

“Jughead I am trying to make amends here.” She insisted but he was so busy with looking at his glass. “Jughead!” he still didn’t look at her. She stopped talking, trying to figure out her next move and with an impulse, she snatched the glass of whiskey from Jughead’s hand and chugged the whole glass. When she was done with the drink he was indeed looking at her, with an amusement in his eyes. She could even see a hint of a smile but didn’t want to keep her hopes up that much.

“I said,” she spoke slowly. “I am sorry.”

“Yeah, I heard you.” Jughead said carelessly. “If only you could have the courtesy to hear my voicemails in the first place… now that would make a difference in your apology. Or if it’s not me the reason why you left… You could be honest about that, too.”

“Jughead, no.” she whispered. “Not now, please, no. I am just making things right by Cheryl and –”

“Cheryl?” Jughead chuckled. “She has no problem with you, she is okay with –”

But he didn’t get to complete his sentence because of a punch on his chin.

He fell backwards on the bar, holding his chin with this unexpected hit and Betty took a step back to see who it was.

“She was  _ my _ girlfriend!” Archie yelled at Jughead as he reached for his collar once again for another punch. “She was my girlfriend and you were my best friend!” His voice was getting louder and louder as the waiters and Veronica tried to separate them. Jughead wasn’t fighting back or hitting him back, just waiting for him to get it over with. 

“You bastard!” Archie yelled once again. “You had a girlfriend and you went after  _ mine! _ ”

“Archie—” Betty tried to speak. “Archie we weren’t dating and – and…” she stopped her panic. “How do you know about that?”

“You!” Archie now let Jughead go and throw a glass to the floor in anger. “I always defended you when you left! I always protected you from those rumors and you were sleeping  _ with my best friend _ ?”

“It wasn’t like that!” Betty felt a pan of guilt in her chest. “Archie, look, I don’t know how you found out that but, please, listen to me: It. Wasn’t. Like. That.”

“Does it really matter, Betty?” she heard a voice behind her and saw Cheryl, her arms were crossed at her chest. “You betrayed everyone in this room and now you act like this exiled princess. As if you are royal, as if what you did was anything near to be royal.” Her tone was fiery.

“You knew?” Betty whispered. 

Now the fight was over and Archie was adjusting his jacket, trying to convince Veronica that he is okay. Jughead was asking for some ice from the bartender and everyone was back to having fun.

“Please,” Cheryl scoffed. “Donnie Darko over there couldn’t even keep his mouth shut for a month after you left. Do you really think I’d let you off the hook when you had my boyfriend between your oh-so-innocent legs?” 

“Why did you even come back?” Archie asked. “To have revenge on me and Veronica when you did the worst?”

“Not everything is about you, Archie.” Betty sneered between her teeth. She looked at Jughead and Veronica. “I came back because… I had my own reasons. And you don’t deserve to know none of them.”

“Of course.” Archie scoffed. “But maybe you’ll tell Jughead later, since you two had always done the worst behind our backs.” And he left them with Veronica.

As for Cheryl, she gave them a glance and smiled.

“Oh well, you two deserve each other anyways. Lady and the Tramp, indeed.” She turned on her heels and left them alone.

Betty sat on one of the stools, her back against the bar.

“That could’ve gone worse.” Jughead murmured, pressing a bag of ice on his chin. 

“I really could use a drink right now.” Betty whispered. “Or ten.” 

Two of them didn’t talk for a while until Jughead signaled the bartender for another round.

“Here.” he slided a glass of whiskey in front of Betty. “That would be a good start.”

Betty scoffed and took a sip. They looked at each other with wonder, with so many unanswered questions and so many broken hearts along the way.

“Would things be different?” she asked finally, like a pray, into her glass. “If I didn’t leave that night, would things be any different than now?”

Jughead didn’t answer her right away, looking into his own glass and making rounds with his finger around the brim of it. 

“Depends.” he said finally, ignoring the loud music filling their ears. “Depends on… what would we do after that.”

“I was already broken up with Archie.” she said. “And as for Cheryl… I don’t know, would you..?”

“Would I what, Betty?” Jughead asked, finally looking her in the eye, piercing her at where she sat. “Would I break up with her for you? Would I risk my friendship with Archie for you? Would I leave it all behind just to be with you?”

Betty was taken aback by his bombardment. She never had thought that Jughead would’ve felt the same way as she did. She knew he was pissed because she left him with this burden but she never even considered the fact that he may had had feelings for her, too.

“You… you would?”

Jughead scoffed and drank the rest of his drink. 

“Guess we’ll never know, right? I mean I haven’t been Cheryl’s boyfriend for almost a year now and Archie…” he pointed his chin with the blue ice bag in his hand, “I guess he just told me how he felt pretty good.” 

“I am so sorry about Archie.” she said. “I can’t say anything for Cheryl but I am sorry I costed you him.”

A small smile appeared on Jughead’s lips. 

“Maybe I am just bounded to be a fuck up.” he said. “I mean, I made you flee the city, I broke Cheryl’s heart and ruined Archie’s manly ego and trust. Classic Jones move, one might say.”

Betty reached for his arm and squeezed it softly.

“He is just overreacting as he always does.” she said. “I know him and as far as I am concerned, we were already broken up by the time I… you know.” She blushed. “He has no right to be angry at you, I was single already.”

“Yeah but I guess the bro code and all don’t work like that.” he said. “He’s not gonna let that go away.”

“Well he better gets his act together.” Betty said finally with an annoyed tone. “He doesn’t get to be angry at you while he dates my best friend since after a week of our break up.”

“And here she is,” Jughead laughed genuinely this time and it made Betty’s heart skip a beat, “our one and only Persephone returns.” Jughead laughed at his joke and hissed after the pain he felt.

“Well, hello then, brooding Hades.” Betty smiled, now a little bit at ease.

“Want some pomegranate?” he mumbled and she raised her eyebrows.

“Only if you add vodka on it.” She gave in to a chuckle. “Wait, isn’t it offensive for you to talk about pomegranates?”

Jughead turned on his stool and leaned against the bar like Betty did. 

“Come on, Betts,” he said as if it was obvious. “Do you think a loner like Hades can have sexual intercourse with the queen of underworld without her consent? Those are just petty rumors.”

“Oh, wait till you hear it on Gossip Girl about tonight.” She murmured, ignoring his implications.

Jughead, now with a sterner look on his face, looked her in the eye with sympathy for the first time in a long time.

“Those are just petty rumors.” He repeated again. Betty could live with that.

***

_ You hear it first, Upper East Siders! Thanks to the courtesy of one certain redhead in the town - and we have more than any other parts of New York around here - we now know why our Prodigal It Girl left in the first place. Click below! _

_ SPOTTED: J and B, kissing on a tree, doing more than just K-I-S-S-I-N-G! So, during the glamourous party of Cheryl Bombshell’s Sweet Sixteen, one certain brooding hero and a golden princess was actually having some private fun. But then again, nothing is private enough for me to keep my nose away! _

_ Trying to fill Queen C’s shoes, B? We must say, she is not the only suitoress to fight for Serpent Prince’s hot pants. _

_ Oh my, do I love a good catfight. _

_ Keep me posted, everyone. I still don’t have the details to quench my thirst for drama. _

_ You know you love me, XOXO, Gossip Girl. _


	4. part IV - lying is the most fun a girl can get (without taking her clothes off)

If Jughead Jones were a boy to make silly wishes that he knew wouldn’t come true, he’d wish that he could rewind the events of the last night. Not that his chin hurt or he looked like shit, no. But because the number of hearts he had broken, the people he had broken… He could be a rebel, a menace to society like the Blossoms and the Lodges like to call him, but he would never, ever have considered himself as a jerk that he was. He never had imagined a scenario in which he broke two girls’ and his best friend’s heart. Two girls being one of them whom he dated for a year and the other being… Betty. Of course he was mad at her, how could he not? Of course he wanted to hurt her as she hurt him the day she left. But he didn’t want to put her in a position like this, no. He didn’t want people to look at her the way they did last night, he didn’t want Archie to blame her, of all people, for what they had done to him. It was Jughead, it was all him.

Yet again, he thought, pouring himself some black coffee, this all could have gone better if it wasn’t for Cheryl and her gruesome meddling. It could have gone a lot better, if she hadn’t picked that time to expose them. They had a deal, didn’t they? When all those months ago he told her what he had done to her with Betty, they had a deal.

“ _ We need to talk, Cheryl.” Jughead asked her girlfriend as she was getting ready for bed. _

_ “Can’t it wait tomorrow?” she said as she put her nightly cream. “I am tired of all these ‘Betty is gone’ shenanigans that people force upon me at school. As if I was her guardian. Where the hell would I know why she left right after my birthday?” she scoffed. “Stealing my thunder, as always.” _

_ “Cheryl.” Jughead said sternly and she stopped massaging her face and turned at him, annoyed. “We need to talk.” _

_ “Okay, okay,” Cheryl said, raising her hands. “I know I haven’t been around lately and I am sorry if you feel neglected.” _

_ “It’s not that.” Jughead murmured and sat on her big bright red bed. “I need to tell you what actually happened at your birthday and why Betty left.” _

_ Cheryl raised an eyebrow at him, now her full attention was directed at Jughead. _

_ “I… We… I was drinking alone, at your birthday.” He started. “And, uh, I was upset because of all the shit show my dad pulled. I was… alone in your dad’s library and then Betty came in and—“ _

_ “Let me think.” Cheryl said. “You two drunkenly kissed? No, I don’t think Betty would leave after that. I do that sometimes and I tell you and we are fine, right?” _

_ Jughead gave a frustrated breath, not that he minded Cheryl’s business with other boys (or girls, he wasn’t sure and didn’t care either way). What was about to be said was something that would break Cheryl. _

_ “We didn’t kiss.” He murmured. _

_ “Okay, so?” Cheryl was clearly losing her interest in the conversation. _

_ “We didn’t  _ just _ kiss.” Jughead put an emphasize on the word. Cheryl seemed taken aback by his words, her shoulders tensed and she pressed her lips tightly. “We were alone in the library and we were both drunk and she—“ _

_ “Stop.” Cheryl said. “Just stop talking.” Her voice was a foreteller of a wildfire and Jughead thought he very well deserved it. Maybe even more. “You and that stone cold bitch – look, I’d understand if you went for any girl, that would be your goddamn loss and I’d just walk away from you after everything your dad pulled. But no,” she chuckled angrily. “You went for  _ Betty Cooper.  _ What would Archie say, Jughead?” _

_ Jughead swallowed her words and looked at his lap. _

_ “You have every right to be angry.” He murmured. “But—“ _

_ “But, Jones,” Cheryl cut him, “She left you and the town right after your indecent hopeless romantic act and you are now paying for both your and her sins. How convenient.” _

_ “I know.” He whispered when he finally had the courage to look her in the eye. “I am sorry for breaking your heart. I am forever in your debt.” _

_ “Yes you are. For leaving me for my so called best friend. For your dishonest behavior. For everything you tried to pull on me.” _

_ “Cheryl please don’t make it a big deal – like Gossip Girl big. I am responsible for all the damage we costed. Not Betty, me, okay? She… apparently have a lot going on right now. Just please don’t tell Archie, he doesn’t need to be broken hearted all over again.” _

_ “As if!” Cheryl laughed – a laughter that she used with her family. Jughead couldn’t comprehended what that meant until now. “As if a boy, you of all people, could break my heart!” she raised at her feet and walked towards her door, opening it for Jughead. “For your demands, however, I feel incredibly merciful tonight. So, if anyone asks why we broke up, it’s because  _ I wanted to leave your criminal ass.” _ Jughead winced at her words. “Like father, like son, right?” _

_ Jughead took that his cue to leave and walked towards the door but he stopped before she could close it. _

_ “I am so sorry, Cheryl. I promise I’ll keep my word, tell anyone what you want to tell.” _

_ “Your promises, Jones,” Cheryl started to close the door slowly, “don’t mean a jack to me.” _

_ And she closed the door on his face. _

They had both kept their promises until yesterday. Jughead didn’t tell anyone the real reason why they broke up, neither did Cheryl. Maybe she was sorry for his miserable state, maybe she didn’t want another rumor on the disappearance of Betty Cooper, or the most realistic reason – she didn’t want anyone to know that Betty Cooper broke her heart.

Could he blame her?

On the second thought, though, yes he could. He could blame her for her discreet actions. He could blame her acting all nice and friendly to Betty when she showed up. He could blame her for telling Archie about it with her devious additions. He could blame her for not sticking to their deal. And he was.

So after a coffee and a smoke, he went to Empire Hotel to see her. She had, of course, a few company in her bed but no one he couldn’t ignore.

“What do you want, Brooklyn Baby?” Cheryl asked with an arched eyebrow, wrapping her silk camisole around her body. “It’s a Sunday, for God’s sake. Couldn’t wait till brunch?”

“What the hell, Cheryl!?” Jughead yelled at her. “Why did you go and tell Archie everything? We had a fucking deal!”

Cheryl pulled her into her room by his collar and shut the door. She turned her companions and dismissed them in French. When they were finally alone, Cheryl sat on her couch and crossed her legs.

“Your f _ ucking deal _ , hobo,” she made air quotations and kept her voice extremely calm, “was only for protecting Betty dearest while she was away. She is back and she needs to own what she had done to me.” She shrugged. “Basic math.”

Jughead sighed in frustration and loss of words.

“Also,” Cheryl points at his outfit that is a basic jean and shirts, “Today is Daddy’s brunch, clean up yourself for the love of God.”

“Yeah,” Jughead scoffs. “I’m not coming to your family’s outrageously Fitzgerald wannabe party.”

Cheryl faked a pout and tilted her head.

“Aw, there there, Jughead, do you think your Daisy won’t show up?” Jughead gave her an annoyed look. “Also JB told me she loved her dress that I picked out for her.”

“You did  _ what _ ?” Jughead seemed distracted. “You  _ bought  _ a dress for my sister?”

Cheryl rolled her eyes at him and got up to pour herself something that suspiciously seemed like a vodka to Jughead.

“What’s the big deal, Jughead? I bought her another last year, too. You know how much I love spoiling her.”

“That was before--”

“Before your insidious actions to defy my honor? Yes. However, that does not change my relationship with JB, at all.”

Jughead eyed him with an obvious disbelief. Of course Cheryl had had bought gifts for JB but he always thought that was because she was being… a Blossom. 

“If you ever try to pull her into your manipulations and all of that I swear --”

He so badly wanted to finish his sentence but Cheryl beated him to it.

“Cut the crap, hand-me-down Godfather.” she said. “I’d never pull any tricks on Jellybean! She is the closest thing I have as a sister!”

“Person, Cheryl.” Jughead corrected her. “The word is  _ person,  _ not  _ thing. _ ”

“Stop trying to outsmart me, Jones.” she said. “Be there in a presentable suit with your sister. This might even be the last shot for your family among us.”

“Whatever.” he mumbled. “See you at brunch.”

“Atta boy,” he heard she said right before he slammed the door. 

 

Down in Brooklyn, at the place where he called home now, his sister was waiting for him with a pile of pancakes.

“Are those bribes?” he asked as he pulled a chair to sit on backwards. “Because that’s not gonna make me forget that you indeed accepted a  _ gift  _ from Cheryl Blossom.”

“Is this where I gasp and surprise that you found out about it, Jug?” Jellybean asked lazily as she added more pancakes to the pile. “Because that’s not gonna happen.”

“Oh thanks for giving me a heads up this time, Jelly.” 

Jellybean turned at him with the spatula in her hand.

“Stop calling me that!” she said angrily. “Do you know how hard it is to be called Jelly or Jellybean or Forsythia at Upper East? Hint: it is hard.”

He rolled his eyes at her and stole a piece of pancake. 

“I know. My name is Jughead.”

“Yeah, exactly my point.” she got back at the pancakes. “You made your name a brand even before high school. I need to do the same for mine.”

“Jellybean, come on--”

“JB!” she corrected her and pulled her dark long hair in a messy bun. “And as for your earlier question, no, these are not bribe.” now her tone was more innocent. “They are for a friend.”

Jughead wrinkled his nose.

“You don’t have any friends to call for breakfast. You are literally terrified by the idea of anyone coming over.”

“Well,” she cleared her throat and turned her back against Jughead to pour some coffee for them. “I had this one friend  _ before _ .” she said slowly. “You know, pink hair, perfect taste in music and less admirable taste in men…”

“No.” he said. “JB, you didn’t…”

“Yeah.” she said as she handed him his mug with a hopeful smile on her face. “I called Toni.”

“WHY the hell for?” he asked. “Why would you ask Toni, my ex-- my--”

“Your ex make out buddy from last year whom you may or may not also have hooked up with? Yeah, that’s the one.”

“Whatever,” he grumbled and ate some of the pancake. “Why did you call her at 9 o’clock in the morning?”

“Because, my dearest older brother” she said as she sat down and held his hand. “You need a date at the brunch.”

“You really don’t have to tell me that as if I have to go under knife for a critical surgery, you know.”

As they kept bantering and eating right before the brunch, as a Jones tradition, their door is knocked. 

“It’s open!” JB yelled.

“Dad’s still sleeping?” Jughead asked before Toni entered their apartment. 

“I don’t know,” she shrugged. “He isn’t home.”

Before Jughead could give a piece of his mind about the issue, Toni came and sat down at the chair next to him.

“Morning, Baby Jones, Jones.” she greeted them. “What’s the pile for?” as she reached for one.

“For you.” JB said confidently. “And I also wanted to bribe Jug for something.”

Both Jughead and Toni raised their eyebrows at each other.

“Really? And I’m here for what? A witness? A partner in crime to bury Jughead? I have people in Harlem that can help us.” Toni chuckled and Jughead gave her a glare. She didn’t seem to be bothered in the slightest.

“I was gonna ask Jughead if he could keep his all brooding and dangerous older brother look to himself when I go to brunch with my date.”

Now Toni snorted as Jughead gasped. 

“Your what now?”

“Shut up, macho.” Toni shushed him. It was a morning in which he was cut off by three girls repeatedly. “Who is the hot date?”

“It’s… a girl from school.” JB murmured. “I was, uh, we were in the same club this year and, uh…”

“Way to go, Baby Jones!” Toni pointed at her by finger guns. 

“Fine.” Jughead grumbled. “Whatever, dump me to my fate at that stupid brunch. But I’m so gonna meet your date at there.”

“Oh no, no, no,” JB protested. “You are gonna be distracted at the brunch. You won’t have time for silly old me.”

“What brunch?” Toni asked, now totally lost her interest in the pancakes. “The one that the Blossoms doing? You guys go to that thing?”

“How come you know about that?” Jughead sounded surprised and drank his coffee. 

“I was raised in Brooklyn, Jughead, not in a forest by the wolves.” she spat at him. “Also, I’m writing this… article for a website that wants me to criticize high society with a harsh tongue so I’ve been doing some digging.”

“She means she was reading Gossip Girl for far too long.” JB said with a pitying expression. 

“Well, either that or following you guys to the school.” she said. “Doesn’t leave me that much of a choice. But if you guys are both going to this thing, maybe you’d help a girl out?” she looked at Jughead expectantly. “You don’t have a date, I suppose?”

“Of course he doesn’t!” JB cheered. “And that is a wonderful idea, Toni!”

Jughead looked at her sister knowingly. She was way too smart for her own good, he didn’t know why he scared for her about Cheryl. JB could manipulate the whole city and people would still be amazed by her. Such a New Yorker that brat was.

“I really don’t need a date, Toni, no offense.”

“You kinda do, brother.” JB said. “Don’t wanna be the bad news bearer but… Everyone else will have.”

Jughead snorted. “Not everyone.”

JB checked her phone and confirmed her earlier remark.

“Yep, everyone.” she said. “And come on, you don’t wanna seem desperate, right?”

“Why would I be the desperate one?” Jughead asked. “It’s a stupid brunch anyways.”

“Well, I for one don’t want my older, hot and eligible brother to be seem like he was waiting for Betty Cooper to come back for whole year, empty handed.”

“Oh, he had his hands full, alright.” Toni snorted.

“First of all, Toni,  _ eww,  _ gross.” JB raised her hand at her. “But secondly, correct. If you want Betty to see you as this independent man as you are, you should show her that you didn’t need her to ease your… I don’t believe I’m saying this, but,  _ your hormones. _ ” 

Jughead made a face at her sister and throw his napkin at her while Toni laughed out loud for minutes. 

“Otherwise,” JB continued grimly, “you are just an Archie Andrews and even he got a girlfriend at his arm.”

Okay, so that was a low blow. 

“Fine.” he glared at his sister and turned at Toni. “Wear your nicest shit, Topaz, and be here in ten.” 

“What a gentleman.” Toni said in a mock dreamily girl’s voice. “My prince on white horse! My ticket to big rich world!”

But she got up and left the apartment to get ready nevertheless.

“I really like her.” JB said happily.

“Why don’t you marry her?” Jughead spatted at her but she just laughed it away.

***

On the Lodge compound, however, a wave of nervousness was reigning that was Veronica Lodge herself. Not that she wasn’t ready for brunch yet or didn’t get a date for the event, no. She had both of those ready and set for her. What kept her on her toes, however, was none other than her boyfriend himself, Archie Andrews. 

Archie had always been a little confused as long as she had known him, maybe a little dense. He could get straight As and make his team champion but when it comes to people, Archie wasn’t the smartest bean in the pod. So when he acted like a loose cannon, Veronica couldn’t help wonder why he was so angry at Betty. She could of course seize his rage towards Jughead, she had always been expecting the same from Betty towards her. But why, why Archie Andrews would be mad at his ex girlfriend for sleeping with other people if he didn’t care like he had claimed he did, that she couldn’t understand.

“You ready,  _ mija _ ?” her father asked as he buttoned up his jacket. “Are you coming with us or Archie is going to pick you up?”

Veronica smiled at his father and went to him to adjust his tie. 

“Thank you, Daddy, but Archiekins and I will be coming together and we might be a little late.”

“Ronnie,” her mother approached in her glamour. “What have we told you about being late at parties?”

Veronica cleared throat and put a knowing smile on her face.

“There is a thin line between fashionable and rude late, yes, mom, I know.” she followed them to the elevator. “Now go there and make the public know that Daddy is back in the game.” she gave them a kiss at cheek. “See you in a bit.”

As the elevator’s door opened, Archie got out of it with a charming smile on his face.

“Mrs. Lodge, Mr. Lodge, great to see you.”

“It’s nice to see you, too, Archie,” Hermione gave him a light squeeze on the upper arm. “Tell your parents we said hi and can’t wait to have them over dinner.”

“Will do, Mrs. Lodge.” Archie offered another kind smile and Hiram just nodded at him before he got in the elevator.

“Archie,” Veronica smiled at her boyfriend and returned his kiss with a chaste on the cheek. Archie wrinkled his eyebrows. “Thank you for coming early.”

“No problem.” he said, scratching the back of his neck. “Are you okay, Ronnie?”

Veronica led him to the couches by holding his hand. They sat down side by side and she looked him in the eye.

“I want to be okay,” she said as she squeezed his hand on her thigh. “But, my mind is confused from yesterday and I was hoping maybe you could ease my pain with that one.”

“Of course,” Archie said. “Anything you want, Ronnie.”

Veronica, taking a deep breath, wanting to believe Archie and yet knowing him, tried to put on a soft smile.

“Last night, when you hit Jughead--”

“Veronica--”

“Let me finish.” she squeezed his hand again. “When you hit Jughead, I understood the pain and anger he caused but… what I didn’t understand… why did you get mad at  _ Betty?” _

“What--?” Archie stopped in the midway of his question. “I was… she was my girlfriend, Veronica. Of course I felt betrayed.”

“But the thing is,” Veronica pointed out, raising a finger, “she wasn’t your girlfriend when she slept with Jughead.” Archie winced at the mention of his best friend. “I get it, he was out of line maybe but… You told me months ago that you and Betty were done even before you two had broken up. Why the sudden anger now?”

Archie pulled his hand from hers, focused his gaze on the expensive Persian rug.

“I -- look, she slept with him the day we broke up.” he said. “It’s like… I feel like she chose him over me.”

“So?” Veronica just shrugged, her hand on his back.

“So?” Archie snapped his head at her question. “So?” he repeated.

“You started dating me a week after your break up.” she stated. “You didn’t feel guilty.  _ Right?” _

“R-right.” he murmured. “But Jughead-- what he did is unacceptable and the way he treated Cheryl was--”

Veronica’s face was unreadable.

“So you are defending Cheryl’s honor now?” he said in a straight tone. “Seriously, Archie?”

“I don’t know what you want me to say!” he exploded finally. “Of course I am mad at Betty and Jughead, how can I not? What do you want me to do? Let my best friend fuck my girlfriend behind my back?”

“Your  _ ex _ .” Veronica said, her voice was raised as much as his. “Your  _ ex-girlfriend _ , Archie.”

The redhead opened his mouth to say something but he decided against it. 

“And as for Jughead, I’m not much different than him, you know.” she was whispering now. “I went behind my best friend’s back, too.”

“Ronnie--” Archie put his hands on her shoulders. “Of course not. You are nothing like him, that’s not the same--”

“Except that it is, Archie.” Veronica shrugged his hands off of her shoulders. “And either you’re gonna make your peace with Jughead, or--”

“Or?”

“Or you’ll come up with a better excuse why you are mad at Betty.” she completed her sentence and took her bag from the couch. “Let’s go now, we wouldn’t want to be late to the Blossoms’ brunch  _ that much _ .”

Archie couldn’t figure out what to do but to follow his girlfriend.

***

Betty was avoiding life by pulling her covers over her head. She didn’t want to go out, she didn’t want to be a part of this life she had been running from. Not especially after Gossip Girl’s unstoppable ridiculous “news” on her. She didn’t know how to look her friends in the eye, she didn’t know if Jughead wanted to see her after all this and she didn’t know what to do with one Cheryl Blossom. She hated herself.

“Rise and shine!” she heard her mother coming into her room. Alice was never one to miss an important event in their society. “Come on, Elizabeth, it’s almost noon!”

“It’s ten in the morning!” Betty shouted under the covers.

“Good,” her mother said. “So you are up.”

Betty grunted herself and heard her mother leave her room. The moment she thought she was alone, her door once again was opened.

“Mom, okay I will get--” she throw the covers away but couldn’t get to finish her sentence.

“First of all,” Kevin said, holding out a coffee to her. “Mistaking me for Alice Cooper is something I enjoyed more than I thought I would. And second,” he sniffed the room. “You need to open a damn window here.”

Betty grunted again and fell back on her pillows. 

Kevin sat on the other side of her bed, giving her the coffee he brought and took a deep breath.

“So… last night was interesting.”

Betty gave him a side look before she leaned her back against her headboard. She took a sip from her coffee and couldn’t believe Kevin still remembered how she liked it.

“Interesting is an underestimate.” she said and sighed. “I really screwed up this time, Kev.”

Kevin tilted his head as if he was evaluate the possibilities. 

“Well, it’s not the best scandal.” he took the coffee from Betty and took a sip. “Also not your style, I must admit.”

“You could say that.” she murmured. “Everyone hates me.”

“No, now that’s not true. Everyone hated you last year when you left without a word, including myself.” he explained. “Now everybody wants to be near you to have a glimpse of your fame on GG.”

“So you are not mad? About the whole… you know.” She asked in disbelief.

“I am only mad at that you not telling me.” he said. “I mean…  _ Jughead _ , huh?”

Betty rolled eyes at him but couldn’t help her smile.

“Yeah.” she said. “That happened.”

“And him taking Archie’s rage like a champ last night!” he said dreamily. “Who would know that the Serpent Prince himself would let his bestie for life beat the crap out of him? Love is a madness.”

“Love?” Betty scoffed. “Yeah, don’t think so.” Before Kevin could object, she continued. “And why do they call him Serpent Prince, though? Aren’t the Serpents the guys who sell drugs and all?”

“First of all, no, you cannot change the subject like that.” Kevin said. “And second of all, the Serpents are not involved with the drug business, they are not that big deal. Joaquin was a part of them, remember? Third of all, that’s because his father is the leader of the Serpents.”

“Since when FP Jones is a gang leader?” Betty asked in terror. “I mean I know he kinda brought his job to ruin but… gang leader? Seriously?”

Kevin shrugged as he rose at his feet.

“Dark times for Brooklyn, I guess.” he said. “They say he was in the gang when he was a teenager and all that tragic backstory.” he walked to her closet. “And now Jughead is some sort of royalty for them. Hence, Serpent Prince.”

“Interesting.” she murmured. “Kevin I’m not going to the brunch, what are you doing?”

“Of course you are.” Kevin dismissed her and picked a white dress with golden stripes on it. “Wear this, it’ll look amazing on you.”

“That’s Polly’s dress.” she weakly objected.

“So?” Kevin turned around and throw the dress on her. “She’s not here to argue with you.”

“I don’t have a date.”

“What do I look like to you? A damn mannequin?”

“What about Alain?” she tried this time.

“I can have two dates, my dad is dating the fucking mayor for god’s sake. They are not gonna check your id at the door, Cooper.”

“Fine.” Betty finally gave up. “If that’s what you need to get off of my back.”

“You know you love me.” Kevin shouted before he left the room for her.

“Shut up!” was the only response he heard.

***

If someone had said that Archie and Betty was going to have a light hearted conversation at the brunch, Betty would probably not even laugh at their joke. While Kevin was off to wandering around with his boyfriend, Betty tried to make herself busy with the drinks and food. Because apparently, everyone else was busy with their own dates. And no, she didn’t mean Jughead and his pink haired date, of course not. Her solitude with mimosas, however, was interrupted by her ex.

“I’m glad to see you here.” Archie told her while she reached for another mimosa but he stopped her midway and got one for both of them.

“Thanks…” Betty said in doubt. “I didn’t think you’d in a place to talk to me, to be honest.”

Archie’s smile faltered and he focused his gaze on his drink.

“Yeah, I was, uh, confused last night. I don’t justify my actions on yelling at you and--”

“And punching Jughead, maybe?” she offered him a small smile but Archie shook his head.

“No, he had that one coming.” he said. “But I’m not here to talk about Jughead, Betty. I wanted to talk about… us.”

“Us?” she raised her perfectly shaped eyebrows at his implication. “There is no us, Arch.”

“But that was before.” he insisted. “Now you are back and--”

“That doesn’t change anything.” Betty stopped him by putting her hand on his arm. 

“We talked about it with Veronica this morning.” he kept going nevertheless. “And we both agree that… there is no reason for me to getting mad at you. But I did, anyways.”

Betty’s eyes softened at his words. Same old Archie Andrews, always acting before thinking.

“And why is that?” she asked, cautiously.

Archie shrugged and smiled at her.

“I think… I just was used to the idea of you being with me.”

“Archie,” Betty warned him. “You are not making any sense. I was gone for a year and from what I see now, you and Veronica are doing so well. This has nothing to do with me and honestly, I think you guys are great together. Don’t you think?”

Archie swallowed and nodded, smiling. 

“Yeah but… Betty, look, I think we need to talk about this. In private.”

Betty sighed tiredly and drank rest of her drink.

“Archie, I don’t think that’s a good idea. Look, thanks for talking to me, putting your anger aside and I’m glad we are friends now. Good friends in time, hopefully.”

“Do you remember last time we were at this brunch? When we were freshmen?” Archie changed the subject in a blink of an eye. “You were so nervous.”

Betty played along and chuckled at the memory. 

“I was half sure that I was going to make an ass of myself and embarrass my mother.”

“Yeah and…” Archie cleared his throat. “You were nervous that what would people going to do since it was our first public date.”

“Not people,” Betty turned around the implication. “Just Gossip Girl. She was already talking tons of lies about me, I didn’t want her to ruin the brunch for me.”

“And I took you to the rooftop suit, so that we could have some alone time. We didn’t do anything because you said that--”

“That Cheryl might have brought someone with multiple sexual diseases to that room, yeah.” Betty laughed at the memory. 

“And we talked for nearly an hour, just nonsense and laughed at people, drinking mimosas.”

“Yeah, we did that.” Betty’s smile turned into a nostalgic bliss while Archie’s were… wistful. 

“We could do that again.” he said. “To clear the air, I mean. We could regain our friendship and -- and, I don’t know, start over. Just us. Not Cheryl, not Jughead, not Gossip Girl…”

“What about Veronica?” she said, not skipping a beat. “What does she think in all this?”

Archie’s armour seemed a bit damaged with the mention of his girlfriend but he shook his head again.

“Veronica wants me to do this. Clearing the air, that is.” he said confidently. “She is okay with it.”

“Archie--”

“I have the key for the exact same room.” he said in excitement. “Just come find me when you decide to give our friendship a shot.” then he left her alone with her mimosas, confused at many things.

 

What someone needs to know about brunches at Blossoms was that if you didn’t bring an interesting date with you, you were most possibly about to leave with a new one. It was all about glamour, laughters and indistinct chatters all around you, accompanied by the world’s best mimosas. No one would really eat, no, but food like people were overly expensive and they looked fabulous. At least, that was what Toni Topaz going to write on her article. She didn’t think that the website she has been writing for was that big of a deal and people didn’t understand her writing enough to criticize her, she wasn’t naïve, for God’s sake. She could ramble about bugs for hours to end and no one would even object her. It was a bit boring but she had her pocket money anyways.

Also, there was this girl.

Jughead was fine, he was smart and not too bad to look at for a boy but Toni had always been one for ladies who held the power of turning her world upside down. Especially gingers.  _ The redder, the better _ she was once told, in a dark bar in Brooklyn of all places, by one certain drunk Blossom. It was a scary combination, that’s why she wanted to pursue it.

So when she saw the opportunity to pursue this said danger, she couldn’t resist it. Maybe she could stir things up a little and level the playing field. Maybe she could finally get the answers of a forgotten night… Or, you know, free booze and food was just fine as much.

“That’s what I’m saying,” she kept telling Jughead, “These people are not even near to know what life is. Full offense.” she ended with a snort but Jughead wasn’t listening to her. She followed his gaze, ending up on a pretty blondie with a white dress and next to her Archie Andrews, smiling and nodding at her. “Also,” she poked his shoulder to draw his attention. “You kinda gotta blend in and act like you are having the best time of your life if you really want to make the girl next door look at you.”

Jughead narrowed his eyes at her.

“I wasn’t--” Toni glared at him and he sighed. “Okay, I was staring. But I just… I don’t know what Archie has to say after last night.”

“Then why don’t you go ask her, champion?”

“Stop with the attitude, Topaz.” he grumbled. 

 

Jughead just didn’t understand Archie’s mindscape. Last night he was all about yelling and making a fuss about everything and today there he was, talking to Betty as if nothing had happened. Archie Fucking Andrews and his fucking guts. He drank rest of his mimosa and tried to be interested what Toni had to say.

“I really could use a smoke.” he said finally and dragged her to outside, passing Archie and Betty by.

***

“Who let the trash in?” Cheryl sneered at the sight of Jughead and her familiar pink haired date. “I mean, we are already being extremely kind to invite the Joneses to our annual brunch but does he have to disgrace my family’s name  _ even more _ ?” 

Veronica rolled her eyes at her and shrugged.

“I don’t know, she seems cute.”

“Cute, as you very well know, Veronica, isn’t the same thing with presentable. And these two tramps over there are just smell like Brooklyn.”

“How do you know how Brooklyn smells like, Cheryl?” Veronica laughed at her and seemed disinterested on the subject.

Cheryl eyed her for a second and then a devilish smile appeared on her face.

“Are you in a good mood because Justin Gingerlake’s surprise for you?”

“What surprise?” now Veronica was all ears. 

“He didn't tell you?” Cheryl seemed surprise. “He took my suit’s keys for talking about privacy and alone time, or something like that. I thought he meant  _ you _ .”

“Who else could he meant?” the brunette snapped at her. “Spill it, Cheryl.”

“I mean,” Cheryl dreaded on purpose, with the most oblivious face she could manage. “Neither him nor Betty is around, right?”

“That doesn’t mean anything.” Veronica spatted. “I bet she is with Kevin or--”

“Kevin is over there with his boo, you see?” Cheryl pointed at his direction and Veronica didn’t stop for a minute after that.

“Hey, Kevin, Alain,” she greeted them, with a hand on Kevin’s back. “Have you seen Betty? I kinda need to ask her opinion about something.”

“Uh… I don’t know, actually. I kinda lost her track after we got here. But last time I saw her she was talking to Archie, I think?”

Cheryl raised her eyebrows at Veronica.

“Yeah, I saw them talking too, what was that about?” they all turned at Jughead’s voice. “Not a day ago he punches me and yells Betty and now he laughs and talks?”

Cheryl pressed her lips together and crossed her arms at her chest.

“No one asked your opinion, hobo.”

“Watch your tongue, lady.” 

Cheryl looked at Toni’s remark as if she couldn’t believe her eyes.

“You shouldn’t even be allowed to be here, at all, Queen of the Buskers.” she spat at her. “I know you from somewhere… Are you stalking us with your little Serpent Prince over here?”

Toni scoffed and rolled her eyes at Cheryl. 

“Of course you know me, Cherry Coke.” she said, her voice full of implications. “We met in Brooklyn.”

Cheryl’s eye went wide as she remembered where she knew this girl and swallowed.

“Stop talking or I’ll drag you out of here myself.”

“I’ll stop if you do. But before I go into further details, you must know that you have nothing to do with my presence here. I’m with my date, you see.” Toni clutched Jughead’s arm, ignoring the look on his face.

“Enough!” Veronica raised her voice. “I need to… find Archie.” and she left them all alone.

“I’ll join the hunt.” Cheryl led Veronica the way, “This brunch has lost its appeal anyways.”

“Are you guys gonna..?” Toni pointed at their direction.

“No, we’re good. We’ll eventually hear it anyways.” Kevin dismissed her offer. “Let them do their… things first.”

“Sounds legit.” Toni nodded. “Toni Topaz.” she extended her hand.

“Kevin Keller.”

“Keller?” she wrinkled her nose. “Do I know… wait, do you know somebody named Joaquin, by any chance?”

Kevin cleared his throat and avoided her gaze.

“Maybe.” he said. “Long time ago.” It was obvious that he wasn’t going to tell much else so Toni wasn’t surprised when turned to Jughead instead. “Hey,” Kevin smiled at him. “I didn’t know you’d brought a beautiful date. How come I don’t know about her?”

Jughead and Toni exchanged looks before either of them spoke. 

“We met when I moved to Brooklyn,” he said. “And, uh, we’ve been… known each other since.”

“On and off.” Toni added quickly. “Depends on our mood.”

“Sweet,” Kevin said, appreciatively. “I like these sort of friends with benefits thingies.”

“Flattered to have your approval, Keller.” Jughead mocked and wrapped an arm around Toni’s waist, just to show off. 

“As you should be.” Kevin wasn’t joking around.

***

In Cheryl Blossom’s suit, however, another scene was taking place.

“I cannot believe you, Archie.” Veronica was practically yelling. “You said it didn’t matter! You said it didn’t mean anything and now you are seeing her secretly in Cheryl’s suit, of all places?”

“Ronnie, I--”

“Spare me the details.” She shushed him and turned at Betty. “And how come you let this happen? Alone in a room with your ex, with your best friend’s boyfriend?”

“V!” Betty came closer to her and held her hands. “He told me that that was what you wanted, us talking and I just wanted to clear the air to tell him that I was--”

“You were what, exactly, nightmare smurfette?” Cheryl interrupted her. “You just can’t help yourself but meddling with boys who are clearly not yours, can you? Typical Cooper move.” She tched. “And poor dear Archie, just can’t fucking decide what he wants from life. Troy Bolton, much?”

“Stay out of it, Cheryl.” Betty grumbled. “This is all your fault to begin with! And V,” she turned at Veronica with much calmer voice. “I didn’t come here to do anything with him. I was already texting you where we are, look--” she went to grab her phone and showed her unsent message. “It says where we are and before I get to click.”

Veronica took deep breaths and checked Betty’s phone. 

“I still think you should’ve told me sooner.” she murmured but she seemed better. 

“I know and I’m sorry.” Betty whispered. “I just wanted all of us to be okay, V. I never ever want to hurt you.” she fixed her gaze on Cheryl, eyes narrowed. “No matter what other people try to put between us.”

Veronica gave a shaky breath, nodding. But before she could say a word, Cheryl moved faster.

“I don’t think that’s what  _ all of us _ thinks, Princess Cooper. Let’s see what Jughead dearest has to say, shall we? Since you are  _ so  _ concerned about his thoughts on you.” 

Before they could stop her, she left the room and went downstairs, where Toni and Jughead were… 

Cheryl stopped in midway and caused Betty to bump into her.

...kissing in front of everyone, ignoring cameras taking receipts to send Gossip Girl.

***

_ SPOTTED: Serpent Prince moving on with one certain Brooklyn Baby?  _

_ Thank you, Catty_00 for the loud and clear video ( _ _ click! _ _ ) Oh my dearest Upper East Siders, is it just me or do you smell something other than freshly made mimosas, too? _

_ Say what you want, everyone. This is just getting better.  _

_ I’ll be around, having my popcorn and watching my favorite people on earth. Have a nice school year and don’t forget about me while you all drown in calculus and American History.  _

_ Believe me, this year is going to be the best one yet. Don’t you think, B? _

_ You know you love me, XOXO,  _

_ Gossip Girl. _


	5. Part V - i never said that I would be your lover (i never said that I would be your friend)

There were certain things that Jughead wasn’t really a fan of: 1) PDA. 2) Letting people comment on his love life. 

The list could go on and on, to be perfectly honest, but for Jughead these two now were on the top of the list. Because now even after a week of the ploy he and Toni pulled at the brunch, he had to see new stuff about him and Toni on Gossip Girl, nonstop. Last time he had to deal with such thing, Cheryl had broken up with him and even then, he hadn’t really cared what the website said about him. But now… him, Jughead Jones, the self proclaimed loner of the Upper East Side was all the talk and it irritated the shit out of him. He hated the way people looked at him, whispered about him on the school corridors and hated the way… Betty looked at him.

He saw the hurt in her eyes that day, how could he not? He saw that her emerald eyes found his blues and how she swallowed everything she wanted to say. He saw the way she turned around and used the back door to leave the brunch. 

But that was all.

She didn’t talk to him, or texted him or said anything remotely referring that day. Of course, she didn’t ignore him completely (because why would she do that? It wasn’t like they were dating or… something,  _ right _ ?) but all the talk he could get from her was just small talks here and there, between the classes or when their teacher made them a pair for their literature assignment. She was kind, she was always kind but that was what she did to anyone around her, it wasn’t a special treatment for Jughead and maybe, just maybe, that was what bugged him the most. 

When Toni offered him to stir things up at the brunch, he genuinely didn’t expect her to go full mode and capture his lips for a long and lingued kiss. Of course, it was different and nice like all of their kisses before but it felt so out of place and wrong that he couldn’t shake the feeling that nagged him all night long. As if he did something wrong. As if he was the untrustworthy cheater again and it made him angry, so angry. He didn’t want that feeling on his chest, telling him that it’s all his fault and he had gone too far this time. Telling him that he broke more than he was supposed to break. He took a deep breath as he turned another hall to get to his lockers before his literature class. As he unlock the closet, he saw Betty coming through, her ponytail nice and decent as always and he just wished everything would be different. He gave in the images in his mind of Betty and him, holding hands, going to movies, going on dates… would that be so bad? He tried not to smile as she approached him. Apparently, their lockers were next to one another.

“Hey.” he said, trying to look busy while he tried to find his book. 

“Hello.” was all she said.

“Couldn’t catch you at cafeteria today.” he said, leaning at his now locked locker.

Betty, however, kept organizing her belongings. 

“I was with Veronica at the Met steps.” she murmured and finished her arrangement, turning to look at him with an unreadable face. “Why did you?”

“I was, uh, gonna ask you something about our assignment.” he stammered as she looked him in the eye. “You know, The Tale of Two Cities. Due to next week.”

“I’m aware,” she nodded. “I think we can make a study session after school today.” as she kept rolling on her phone, checking her calendar, presumably. 

“Today?” Jughead asked in shocked. He didn’t know what to expect but the way she behaved last week didn’t indicate any sorts of easiness coming to his way. 

“Yeah.” she said as she gave him a kind smile. “You have plans?”

“N-no.” he said in a rush. “Today sounds good. Should I pick you up after school?”

“No need for that.” she said dismissively. “We can meet up at the library at 5, if that’s okay.” 

“Sure.” he said. “I’ll bring the book with me, you don’t have to carry it with you.” On his defense, he knew it was a stupid thing to offer but he just wanted to be useful. 

“Okay.” Betty shrugged and frown at something over Jughead’s shoulder. “Oh, you need to reconsider the study session.” she said. “It seems like your girlfriend is here.”

“Who--?” Jughead asked as he turned at where she pointed with her head and saw no other than Toni Topaz, looking like a snake out of its pit, ready to attack first threat she sees. Jughead turned at Betty all of a sudden despite the confused state he was in. “She is not my--”

But Betty wasn’t there to listen. He tried not to look as shaken as he felt as while watching her perfect ponytail disappear around a corner in a blink of an eye. He knew he wouldn’t run after her. He didn’t have it in him. 

 

“Topaz, what the hell?” he yelled as he held her arm to make her look at him. Toni yanked her arm from his clutch and kept looking for her new locker. “What the hell are you doing here?” Jughead asked.

“I’m transferred here.” she said simply. “Grandpa finally had enough and made my uncle pay for my school fee.” she found her locker and handled the lock on it. “Also, I’m on %75 scholarship. They tried so hard not to give me the all of it. Sad rich white people, you know.”

Jughead gave her a side glance as he watched her put her messenger bag into her brand new locker.

“I thought you hated society’s make believe education system that is designed for making rich people happy and their kids under control.” Toni raised an eyebrow and he raised his hands in defense. “Your words, not mine.”

“At least you listen to me sometimes.” Toni scoffed. “I still think those things but I did change my mind about college.” They started to walk through the hall and Jughead ignored all the eyes on them. “Good schools recruit good alumni,” Toni made a balance with her hands and sighed in defeat. “Hence, I’m here to look into this new shithole to get my way out of our  _ neighbourhood _ . Until then, Upper East Side and I gotta get along.” 

“You could at least give me a heads up.” he insisted and Toni arched an eyebrow.

“Why? So you could chaperon me around the school? Holding my hand in the halls and prove that we are happily in love?” Jughead gave her a glare. “Thought so.” she chuckled. “Besides, I have no intention on hanging out with you and your pompous friends anyways.”

“Welcome aboard, Toni,” Jughead laughed as he held the door to their literature class. “You are so gonna hate it, I can’t wait to see.”

“We’ll see about that.” Toni murmured as she eyed a certain redhead and found the closest empty seat to her. “See you around, Jones.”

As Jughead sat on his usual seat next to Archie’s, he took a deep breath and tried not to focus on Betty’s bright ponytail two seats front or Archie’s frown reserved just for him. He was actually still pissed about the punch but had the dignity to not talk about it.

 

“Oh my God,” Cheryl turned at Toni, who was clearly looking at her with a smirk. “Are you stalking me now? Seriously? I’m so going to report this to Principal Weatherbee. You have no right to be here!” She slammed her book on her table. 

Toni leaned back against her seat and started to tap her pen casually.

“I am a student here, Blossom.” she retorted. “And again, not everything is about you. Unlike your minions over there whispering --” she pointed at Ginger and Tina sitting in front of Cheryl and typing on their phones frantically, “-- I have my own life to take care of. So go on, report me wherever you want, Evil Queen.” she shrugged and occupied herself with her new textbook as an indication of ending the conversation but Cheryl was having none of it.

“You are a criminal for violation of privacy and God knows what else.” she said simply. “Eventually the school board will realize their mistake and send you back to whichever juvie you were released from.” there was a content smile on her face.

Toni gave an angry chuckle and shut her book harshly, looking Cheryl in the eye and leaning forward. 

“Oh really?” she asked almost in a whisper, between her teeth. “You didn’t care about all those things when you were in between my--”

She was interrupted by a tall, brunette teacher with a hideously decent old lady bun. 

“Good morning, class.” she said with a nervous chuckle. “Your literature teacher Mrs O’Connell won’t be here today due to her unexpected holiday at Aspen with her husband. But I am here to look after you while she is gone and I presume there is a new student in class today?” She scanned the room behind her big glasses and stopped on Toni. The pink haired girl could already feel her shoulders tensed. “Miss Topaz, was it?”

Toni just raised her hand and gave a half wave at the class. The blondie seemed to expecting her to elaborate more but she didn’t even made an eye contact. 

“Okay…” the teacher said as she finally stopped staring at her. “I’m Miss Natalie Jenkins, as most of you know, I’m the current Music Teacher at the school but today I will teach you as your substitute literature teacher.”

Upper East Sider or home schooled, Toni thought, high school was a total disaster for everybody.

***

Betty hated this day. It was the worst, it was awful, it was unbearable. She had a very hard time on hiding her hands from her friends -- crescent scars on her palms, a habit she picked up at the boarding school. It wasn’t the best solution against her anxiety but it was right there and for the first time in her life no one was looking at her to find a flaw. It was so easy while no one was looking at her as if waiting for her to give any sorts of indication about her flaws. 

In New York, though, she almost had forgotten how she needed to keep up with her perfection walls that her mother built for her and Polly. She had forgotten how she should keep her emotions to herself while everyone was looking at her, regardless of the pain she had been in. Or maybe, she’d never been in such pain before. She had never felt this alone before. Without Polly, without her confidante, and of course without a certain kind of a support system that had always been there before. 

She remembered how just a year ago she had all those friends around her. She had Veronica, and Archie to trust. She had Cheryl for protection. She had Jughead to confide in. She had her sister to back her up against their mother. Now it was just a big mess. Veronica was still there for her, even though she carried a certain distrust in her eyes -- intentional or not. Archie… Betty just didn’t want to think about him at all. He had always been a confused boy but now seeing him in a situation like this was just sad. Utterly sad. Her thoughts didn’t even stall on Cheryl. It was all on her and Jughead and Betty Cooper knew better than making Cheryl Blossom an enemy. They were in a delicate situation in which they both struggled through loss of siblings and lots of drama their parents caused over it. She didn’t bring herself to declare Cheryl an enemy at this point. They were in a grey area, in Betty’s opinion, or a lighter shade of red area when it comes to Cheryl Blossom.

Jughead, on the other hand… it was so weird. Just over a year ago Betty would consider Jughead one of the people she trusted the most. Before anything else, she would always felt like she was understood by him. Safe and sound, protected, even. He had given her a certain type of guarantee that she would never feel less than who she was. It was hard to explain and pinpoint the exact reasons why and how he did that but it didn’t matter now. Once again, Jughead was someone else’s boyfriend and she had learnt from her mistakes. She wasn’t going to do them again. She couldn’t. She felt sick over the thought of pushing herself to open up to him once again. Feeling the exact same trust and destroying it over her selfish reasons would be too hard to deal with. She wouldn’t. She couldn’t.  _ She shouldn’t. _

She looked at him and his girlfriend Toni (or _ Brooklyn Baby,  _ as GG addressed her) after the class. Seeing him laughing with her, being so badly himself with that genuine smile of his… She was wise enough to recognize what she felt over the new couple. Jealousy. Pure, heated jealousy she only ever felt once in her life before she dated Archie. He had been flirting with Valerie at the time and Betty just… felt so  _ angry. _ She was feeling the exact same thing.

She shook her head as she passed them by and wondered if Jughead wanted to reschedule their study session. She was going to be there, nevertheless. Even if he didn’t show up, she was still going to be there and do the her side of the assignment. It was just about the assignment now, nothing else.

“What is that hand me down looking Lydia Grant doing here?” Veronica interrupted Betty’s thoughts with two coffees with her, handing one to Betty. The blondie gladly accepted the offering and followed Veronica to the close and sat on a table, not the bench while Veronica sat next to where her feet stepped and put her hand on Betty’s knee. 

“She kinda transferred here during English Literature.” Betty murmured. “I don’t know how or why though.”

“Probably to keep an eye on her boo.” Veronica said absent mindedly. “I mean, after the show that girl put on at the brunch, it seems like she wants show everyone that Jughead is her man.” She gave Betty a side glance. “You know, beautiful threats and all.”

Betty sighed and rolled her eyes at Veronica.

“I never took Jughead for a guy who is into possessiveness but,” she shrugged as well, “Guess that’s on him.”

“Speaking of dating people,” Veronica smiled in a business matter and turned at Betty, making her sit next to her properly and linking arms. “I heard from a little bird today that a certain gentleman wants to go out with you.” She wiggled her brows. 

“I don’t know, V, I don’t think I’m in a place of a relationship.” Betty whined. “Setting me up probably is not the best idea.”

“Oh come on!” Veronica said dramatically. “Who cares about relationships? You should go out, have fun and show everyone in this city that you are back in the market.”

“Touching,” Betty laughed, “Considering me as a product to sell.” 

“What is so touching is that you acting like you don’t know our society.” Veronica retorted. “Come on, B, you’re everyone’s dream girl. You have to let people know that Gossip Girl cannot get you down.”

Okay, it would be a huge lie not letting Gossip Girl and everyone know that she was doing just fine. Betty took a deep breath and arched one of her eyebrows.

“Who is on your mind, V?” 

Veronica clapped her hands in pure cheer and pulled out her phone. She tapped on a few apps and found what she was looking for.

“So,” she showed her phone to her best friend. “Do you remember Chuck Clayton?” Betty nodded. “Yeah, forget what you know about him and  _ look at this _ !” 

To be fair, Chuck Clayton had gotten so damn handsome that Betty practically couldn’t believe her eyes.

“Is this the same Chuck Clayton? The one on the football team?”

“I know!” Veronica said. “He has a body of Adonis and look at that smile, I mean, come on.”

“What are you two talking about?” they heard Kevin behind them and before Betty got to chance to speak, Veronica told him everything under than ten seconds. 

“O-M-G!” Kevin squelled. “Betty, you are so going out with him! He’s a super start!”

“Thank you both,” Betty said in full sarcasm, “for seeing males as a tool to gain reputation.”

“What use they have other than that and sex, obviously,” Veronica chuckled. “No offense, Kevin.”

“None taken.” Kevin laughed with them. “I actually completely agree with you. For millennial straight guys, that is.”

“Fine,” Betty rolled her eyes. “Tell him to pick me up at… eight.” 

“Why not sooner?” Veronica questioned.

“I have this… study session with Jughead for our literature assignment.”

Both Kevin and Veronica crossed their arms at chest and gave each other a glance.

“What?” Betty sounded confused.

“Nothing.” Kevin said in full disbelief. “Just curious about your study date with one certain Judas.”

“He is not a Judas--”

“So  _ it is  _ a date.” Veronica cut her. “Betty Cooper is back, ladies and gentlemen!” She was grinning. 

“I mean, it is kind of a fate, right?” Kevin said in a fake dreamy voice. “Two ill-fated lovers, assigned for the same homework… Oh  _ so  _ tragic!”

“Enough,” Betty sighed. “It’s not a date, okay? Plus, his girlfriend is here, I don’t know if he’ll even show up.”

“Oh Jughead Jones would show up at Mars if you’d ask him to.” Veronica snorted. 

“Also that’s not her girlfriend.” Kevin said matter of factly. “I mean, she is his  _ something _ but I don’t think the label girlfriend is on the table.”

Betty tried to seem not so interested.

“Whoever the heck she is,” she packed her bag and throw her empty coffee cup to the bin next to her, “I don’t care.” she ignored her friends’ disbelief. “I just want to have a peaceful friendship with him and nothing else.” 

“Yeah, try and remind yourself that before sending him an eggplant emoji.” Kevin laughed and Betty gave him a death glare before she left for the last period of the day. 

***

Of course Jughead was going to study with Betty after school. Whatever she might or might not think about him, whatever they had done one another since she got back, he wasn’t going to go and throw what sort of a delicate balance they had in jeopardy. So when the last period of the day had come to an end, she sent a text to Toni to go back to Brooklyn alone and turned around the corner to have a smoke before he got back to the school.

As he smoked, he had his very own dramatic flashbacks that kept him awake at night for so long. 

There he was, with Archie, coming back from a party and Archie nudging his ribs to point at Betty’s direction, laughing like there is no tomorrow with a glass of champagne in her hand. It was before Archie and Betty started dating, she was just this freshman trying to impress everyone around her and doing a good job. She had never had to try to charm people, Jughead thought, Betty Cooper would smile at you and you’d just want to burn the whole city down in her honor. Yeah, it was stupid. 

He didn’t know when he started to like her -- it was such a habit he carried around. He started dating Cheryl during the middle of their freshman year and had forgotten about his unrequited crush on the blondie, who had dated his best friend, by the way. But somewhere along the way, something had changed in him and he was damn sure something had changed in Betty as well and suddenly, she was all he could think about. 

And then she was gone.

Just like that.

Then she came back.

Just like that.

What made him angry the most, he didn’t know. He threw the butt of his cigarette to ground and smashed it with over force. Scratch that, he fucking knew why. It was because the effect she had on him, still. From a silly little crush to this point (what point, he was not sure about it), he hated that being bewitched by her presence. By her eyes. By her… just her. By Betty fucking Cooper.

When he got back to the school he directly went to library, climbing up stairs two by two. No, he wasn’t excited or anything.

 

He finally managed to get to the library, and gave a relieved breath when he spotted Betty away from the door and their library attendant. He walked fast to her table and cleared his throat to make his presence known. Betty raised her head from her notes and gave him a smile as a greeting.

“Hey,” he whispered as he sat across her. “You started without me?” 

Betty shrugged and folded her notes together.

“Didn’t know if you’d show up, honestly.” she also kept her voice low. “You know, since you could have… other plans.” 

Jughead pulled his copy of  _ The Tale of Two Cities _ and put it on the table harshly. 

“I said I’d come, right?” he said between his teeth. “What makes you think that I wouldn’t?”

Betty seemed taken aback by his silent outburst and her shoulder tensed.

“You seemed surprised when you saw your… Toni, right. So I figured you’d spend time with her.”

“You figured wrong.” was all he said. “So, Dickens? What do we do?”

With the immediate change in topic, Betty shook her head and reached for his book.

“I, uh, thought we could focus on characters’ aspects of freedom and love.” Jughead raised his eyebrows at her suggestion. “I know it’s not actually a love story but it also points out how these two cities affect their decisions on love and how freedom has the key role in all that’s happening around them.”

Jughead smiled at the familiarity of the passion she carried for literature. He must had had forgotten how Betty was lighten up by the thought of criticizing characters, how much it made her happy to work on something requiring a lot of thinking. 

“Sounds good,” he said and for straight two hours they talked in a lower voice about their assignment and the points they should point out. It was so easy, so refreshing and so calming. 

After they both agreed that it was enough for one day, they left the library together.

 

“It was a good study… session.” Jughead gulped when they reached at the top of the stairs. “We are really good at it, you know.”

Betty gave him a chuckle and nodded. 

“Yeah, who would’ve thought that we’d get along over Dickens, right?”

Jughead didn’t say anything and just smiled. 

“It would be even better if we get to raise our voices.” he said. “Maybe we should do this somewhere else, I don’t know, a coffee shop?”

He raised his eyes at Betty’s and saw a little hesitation in them. No, not hesitation. It was a sprinkle of wistfulness with a broken smile accompanying it. 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” she said, almost in a whisper.

“If wanted to suggest a bad idea,” Jughead said teasingly, “I’d call you at my place.” 

For a second Betty seemed to be mad at him but noticing it was his old sarcastic self, she just slapped his arm. 

“No, I meant Gossip Girl.” she explained herself. “I don’t think Toni… would be super happy about it.”

Jughead’s expression hardened and he lighted a cigarette as they walked down to Betty’s apartment. 

“Betts,” he stopped in the middle of the way. “We are--”

“I gotta go, I have a date tonight.” she said in a rush, stopping him from completing his sentence. “And you really don’t have to walk me home. I was already going to stop by Veronica’s anyways.”

He blinked twice.

“You have a date tonight?” he swallowed and his body stiffed. His voice was no longer gentle or teasing.

Betty cleared her throat and looked him in the eye.

“Yeah. What’s so bad about it?”

Jughead gave her a humorless chuckle and swiped his face with his free hand. 

“Of course.” he grumbled. “Of course. Nothing, Betty. Just go have fun at your date.” He knew he wasn’t making any sense and he damn well knew that he was in no position to be angry. But he was, still. He was disappointed, feeling betrayed, feeling even rejected. It opened a tap of long waited anger and sadness in him that he couldn’t take under control.

“Why are you so mad about it suddenly?” Betty raised her voice, not raising too much to draw attention. “It’s just a date, Jug, not like kissing some random person at a party, in front of everyone.”

Jughead frowned at her implication for a second. But then there was a sarcastic smile on his face.

“Seriously, Betty? Is this your way of showing jealousy? Doesn’t really suit you, really.”

Betty narrowed her eyes and pushed her hands into her trench coat. 

“No, Jughead.” she hissed. “It is my way of showing that we,” she pulled her hand for second to point out the space between them and shoved it back to her pocket, “don’t get a say what we do with whom we do. We are not…” she took a deep breath. “We are not dating, Jughead. We are not…  _ something _ . Anything.” The truth in her words hurt both of them. “Whatever there was between us is long buried, you made sure of it.” 

His eyes were glassy now and the smile was long gone. He pressed his lips together.

“ _ I _ made sure of it?” he asked, looking directly in her eyes. “You left, Betty. You  _ fucking  _ left and what did you expect me to do? I am not Archie, I didn’t frantically waited for you to return to me. I am not that much of an idealistic.”

Whatever Betty was going to say died at her lips and she took a step back.

“I never wanted you to be Archie.”

“That much of it was obvious.” he said in a dead tone. He cleared his throat and shook his head, breaking their gazing. “Would it be different, though?” he asked in a moment of weakness and curiosity. “If  _ I was _ something? Anything?”

She shrugged and took another step back. He could see the tears forming in her eyes, he fought with himself so hard not to reach and wipe them before they even fall. He had never ever thought eyes soft like hers could burn holes in his soul.

“Guess we’ll never know.” she whispered and wiped her tears with the back of her hand. “I’ll see you around, Jug.” And then, left him all alone in the middle of the street.

***

The date was a disaster, to say the least. Betty had known that Chuck was sort of a player and he usually didn’t do relationships but what she didn’t know, was that Chuck was a total asshole.

First, he was late for almost fifteen minutes and he didn’t even had the courtesy to explain or apologize. Not even a simple sorry. 

Second, his choice of date place was even worse. It was Hotel Empire -- the Blossoms’ hotel. As if there wasn’t enough eyes watching her like hawks, he picked that hotel of all places he could. 

But the worst thing was -- he had no filter or whatsoever. He just kept talking about everyone and how stupid people around him. How they couldn’t keep things simple and always made it complicated even simple fun. 

“But you are not like other girls, are you, Betty?” he asked with a smirk as he leaned closer. “I mean, you were always one for the fun and games.” he made a sign with his hands that clearly indicated a joint. “I heard all about you and your sister from the Blossoms. Before Jason passed away, of course.”

Betty tried to keep a straight face and smiled at Chuck Clayton. 

“I don’t think we have the same perception of fun.” she said. “I don’t do that anymore.”

Chuck laughed as if Betty said the funniest thing. 

“Come on, gorgeous,” he said. “We all know you are not just pretty eyes and long legs.”

“Cut it off, Chuck.” she warned him. “I said I don’t do joints anymore.”

“I heard you did even better.” he kept going. “You and Polly -- true New Yorkers, you two sisters are. How is she, by the way? I heard she is in a facility because of… drugs.”

Betty felt her blood gone frozen and leaned forward. 

“Don’t believe everything you read on Gossip Girl.” she said. “I mean, I read that you have problems with girls in the bedroom but I’m here, aren’t I?”

Chuck’s smile seemed to be frozen as well. 

“No, you are right.” he said. “You are nothing like Polly. You might be even crazier than she is, it’s a shame that you are here and not her. Now she,” he whistled, “she was  _ so much  _ fun.”

“Stop talking about my sister.” she hissed and adjusted her composure. “Now I’m gonna go to the restroom. When I get back, I’d like to put this all behind us and have a fun night, okay?” 

The immediate calmness hit Chuck hard and she could see the shock on his face. She wasn’t going to break without a fight.

Her chair screeched at her movement and she walked to the restrooms with every grace she had left, not opening her fists as she walked.

 

When she found an empty stall, though, she sat on toilet and let herself cry. She cried her heart out, not even in control anymore. She cried for the awful date she was having, she cried for her mistakes and the rumors it brought, she cried for not knowing where her sister was, she cried and cried and cried until…

“Are you okay?” she heard a knock on her stall. The voice was familiar but she couldn’t figured who was it. “Hey, if you could get out, maybe I can help?” the voice kept talking and Betty thought, what the hell. It couldn’t go worse than that.

She managed to open the lock on the door but couldn’t get up and out of it. She buried her face into her hands (which were dried with blood now) and sniffed. 

“Betty?” 

She raised her head at the mention of her name saw a pair of awfully familiar blue eyes.

“JB?” she couldn’t see straight through her messed up mascara. 

“Yeah,” the dark haired girl said absentmindedly. “Let’s get you out of here.” she reached for Betty’s arms and helped her get up. “Are you drunk?”

Betty shook her head and went to the sink to wash her face. She was terrified by the state of her make up. She saw also JB’s worried expression behind her and tried to smile.

“Bad date.” she said. “Sorry you had to see that.”

“Aren’t they the worst?” JB smiled and watched her wash her face. “Should I call anyone for you? Veronica, maybe?”

“No, no, no.” Betty rejected and waved her hand at JB as she reached for a towel. “I really cannot explain anyone what’s happened.”

JB nodded and held her arm. 

“Do you wanna go to a quiet place?” she asked in anticipation. 

“More than you could imagine.” Betty laughed tiredly, “But this is Upper East Side, I don’t think a quiet place exists around here.”

JB helped her clean her eye make up and whispered.

“What do you think about Brooklyn, though?”

“What?” 

“Look, you seem like you are having a really bad time right now and I for one would know what it’s like to be questioned by everyone around you. And I also know that there is a back door right in the kitchen.” Betty raised her eyebrows and JB giggled. “How do you think I go on dates around here without Jughead or dad knowing it.”

At the mention of his name, Betty felt another wave of anxiety coming through her way. 

“I appreciate it, JB, I really do.” she said. “But I don’t wanna disturb your--”

“Dad never really comes home these days.” she said suddenly. “And Jug is out tonight, that’s how I got out.”

Betty seemed in conflict. She was either going to go back to her table, explain Chuck what took her so long and keep pretend like she was okay with him; or she was going to sneak out and spend the night in Brooklyn, away from the prying eyes.

The answer was so easy that she couldn’t believe it was even an option.

“I don’t wanna ruin your date, JB.” she said in the last attempt.

“Nothing I can’t fix,” she assured her. “Let me grab my coat and yours and meet me at the back door in five.”

Betty just nodded and blindly followed JB to show her the back door. 

***

Exactly five minutes later JB was there out in the street with a coat on her shoulders and another in her hand, waving at Betty.

Betty went to her, taking her coat and putting it over her shoulders.

“Jellybean.” she said. “Thank you, I--”

“Don’t thank me before you see where we live now.” JB joked. “It ain’t no Upper East Side.”

“Then it must be perfect.” Betty assured her. 

“That’s our Uber.” JB pointed a car that was slowing down through their direction. “Come on, Cinderella. Don’t leave a shoe behind, will you?”

Betty just laughed at her similarity with her brother and got in the car.

“Did your date get angry at you?” she asked in the car.

“Nah,” JB said. “She’s really sweet. I told her it was a family emergency.”

“You lied to her? Why?”

JB looked at her in pure disbelief.

“I couldn’t take the risk of GG being around.” she explained. “And your date was two tables behind us so I didn’t want him to hear about it.”

“Wow, JB, you really are a true Upper East Side teenager now.” 

JB chuckled at her and hold her hand. 

“I’m only smarter. You guys are just too dumb to see it.” she left her hand free and turned to face her. “And Chuck Clayton? Really?”

Betty shrugged and sighed.

“Just thought he’d be fun for the night.”

JB faked a vomit scene and caused the driver look at them in concern. 

“Awful, utterly tasteless. Was it Veronica’s idea?”

Betty seemed surprised at her correct guess.

“How did you know?”

“She is dating Archie Andrews.” she said in disgust. “That’s how I knew. She has an awful taste in boys.”

As Betty laughed for real second time that night, their car pulled over and JB opened the door. 

“That’s us.” she said and turned at the driver, “Five stars, kind sir.”

As the two girls giggled and entered an apartment, Betty tried to remember the address. As they climbed three floors, she was already breathless.

“Here we are,” JB found her keys and unlocked the door. “Not much but…”

Betty let herself in as JB struggled with the key. It was actually a big apartment, sure it wasn’t like their old place up in Manhattan but it seemed more… the Joneses. Brick walls and long bookcases around the living room, an open kitchen with piles of pancakes on the counters and three doors at the end of the living room, a fourth one on the left.

“This is pretty good.” she said. “I, uh, can I use your bathroom?”

JB pointed at the fourth door on the left. 

“Help yourself.” she said. “If you need anything just give me a holler.”

 

As Betty disappeared behind the bathroom door, JB clutched at her phone and frantically called her brother. He didn’t answer at first but after the fifth ring, he must had realized that he had a phone.

“What’s up?” he sorta slurred. Jughead would never slurred. “I’m out.”

“Yeah, figures.” JB said. “Look, I don’t care where the fuck are you but you need to come home, immediately.”

Jughead took a deep breath on the other side of the line and sounder soberer when he spoke.

“What’s up? Are you okay? Are you hurt? Oh God,” he sighed, “is it dad?”

“No to all that crap.” she retorted. “Just thought you should know that Betty is here and she is… well, not okay, not really.”

“What? Betty?” Jughead sounded confused. “Betty Cooper?”

“No, Betty White, you idiot. Of course Betty Cooper. Get your ass at home!”

“What the hell she is doing in our apartment?” he asked in a rush, JB figured he was getting ready to get back home. 

“Look, I can’t talk much right now but she needed help and I was there, okay?”

“You were out on a school night?” 

“Definitely not our point here.” JB said. “Gotta go, be fast and come home safe.” and she hung up on her brother to make some coffee. 

When Betty came out of the bathroom with her heels on her hand, she felt a bit relieved and her face looked softer.

“Are you hungry?” JB asked as she handed her a cup of coffee. “I can make some fresh pasta if you like?”

“No,” Betty said and took a sip from her coffee. “This is awesome, JB, thank you.”

“Don’t mention.” JB said and leaned on the counter. “You seem really uncomfortable in that dress, though.”

Betty tried to adjust her short red dress as she sat on one of the stools but failed.

“Yeah, not the best dress on the planet.” she said in a shy smile. “Not the worst either, I think I can spend the night in it.”

Before JB could object and go to her room to find something for Betty, they turned at the sound of keys at the door and Jughead stumbled in after a second.

“JB what were you talking about--?” he stopped himself when his eyes spotted Betty. She swallowed and gave him an apologetic smile.

“Probably me.” she said almost in a whisper. Her voice was trembling again.

JB looked at Betty and then her brother, couldn’t form a good reason to speak but then she and Jughead made an eye contact.

“Let me fix you up something.” she blurted out before disappearing in her room.

Jughead threw his keys into the bowl on the coffee table and stripped off his long black coat. 

“Hey,” he said cautiously, “didn’t expect to see you here.”

“That makes both of us.” she smiled softly. She was acting so different than their last conversation only hours ago, she seemed so tired. “JB told me you wouldn’t be at home.” she explained. “And I wasn’t really in the mood for going home, so…” she trailed off.

Jughead frowned and threw his coat away as well, coming closer to Betty.

“Are you okay?”

She shrugged, turned back to the counter and took a sip of her now lukewarm coffee. Jughead sat next to her.

“Just a bad date.” she whispered. Jughead sighed, reaching for the coffee JB left on the counter.

“Clayton wasn’t your type, huh?”

When Betty didn’t answer right away, Jughead turned at her to see her face but she was hiding it by using her now down hair. It took a few minutes until her shoulders started to shake and he figured she was crying the whole time.

“Betty?” he asked again. “What’s wrong?”

“Everything!” she sniffed and finally raised her head, cheeks tear stained. “Everything is wrong, Jughead! Look at me! Ever since I came back, people are at my throat because of my past mistakes and even though I try to eliminate those rumors and assumptions, people always find a way to crack me up, they use what I had done ages ago and they talk about Polly and I feel like -- I feel -- I --” Now she was hysterically shaking and couldn’t form sentences. 

Jughead didn’t know what to do besides hugging her with one arm, letting her head fall on his shoulder. 

“It’s okay.” he murmured without even thinking. “It’s okay, Betts, it’s going to be okay.”

“No.” she sniffed after she finally managed to stop her cryings. “It won’t be okay because Polly isn’t here and I can’t defend my sister without knowing where she is and what happened to her.” she took a deep breath. “I can’t fix my life without finding my sister first.”

“You are not broken,” he whispered, a lump on his throat. “It’s just… we are so badly messed up kids.”

When her breathing was at its normal rate again, Jughead stopped caressing her hair and she raised her head. He pulled a few strings from her face and tugged them behind her hair. He hated how close she was and the twisted situation they were in.

“Go to sleep, Betty.” he said slowly, squeezing her shoulder. “And in the morning, we’ll find your sister.”

***

_ Good Girl Gone Bad Again? _

_ Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder  _ where  _ you are… _

_ Good night, Upper East Siders, I was just about to give you good news on B’s side and how she got herself a hot date that is none other than Chuck Clayton himself but as my sources sadly announces, our It Girl is nowhere to find. It appears, two got into the restaurant but one left. Now, isn’t that a good start for mystery novels? _

_ Hold on tight, Upper East Siders, it seems like our It Girl is about give us a good debut once again. _

_ Can we call it a debut if it is done twice already? _

_ We can, if it is done by one certain Princess. See what I did in there? _

_ Like Abel yells in my ears, this ain’t ordinary life. _

_ You know you love me, XOXO,  _

_ Gossip Girl. _


	6. Part VI - you've seen that we got the same pain, same scar (felt that when we got closer in the dark)

Waking up to a completely different setting had never been an issue for Betty Cooper -- she had woken up in strangers’ room after a party before, with a pounding ache in her head and an awful nausea in her stomach. It was different this time, though. She was in a room she didn’t see before. The brick walls around her, the window with a fire escape and dark sheets that was only messed up on her side. She tried to sit back and looked down at what she was wearing. A long pair of pajamas and a small t-shirt that said “ _ Humans aren’t real _ ” with an alien emoji under.

Of course, she was in the Joneses’ lot. But wasn’t she on the couch and..? Wait, whose room was this?  _ No. no. no. no. _

She remembered how the three of them argued about who should sleep where and she also remembered how she claimed the couch triumphantly.

“So… You can take JB’s room and JB can sleep in my room and I can sleep on the couch.” Jughead proposed when JB had brought a pair of pajamas for Betty.

“Eww. No.” JB had scrunched her nose at him. “I’m not sleeping in your bachelor cave. It’s too weird.”

“Guys, no need for that.” Betty had refused. “I can sleep on the couch, really. I’ve slept in places worse than a couch.” Jughead and JB didn’t laugh.

“ _ You _ give Betty  _ your  _ own room.” JB spatted at Jughead and without Jughead could say anything, she said goodnight to Betty and marched to her room, shutting the door a little too hard.

When the two of them alone once again, Jughead excused himself to give her some privacy and after Betty changing into her borrowed clothes she sat down for a minute there and…

Oh dear God, she had fallen asleep on their couch.

And now she was in…  _ Jughead’s room. _

She looked for her phone to check the hour but she was in no luck -- she couldn’t find her phone without leaving the room first and for the moment, it was a very hard task. So just gain her confidence back, she got up and walked in the room. There was a desk and a long bookcase, there was a clean ashtray next to the window and besides his wardrobe, that was all Jughead had in the room.

There were two frames on his desk. One with his whole family -- his dad, his mother, JB and him and another with… all of them. She took the picture in her hand, brought it closer to see the details. There she was, sitting between Archie and Veronica, next to Archie there was Jughead and Cheryl was with Polly and Jason standing behind them. They must have been 11 or 12, Betty remembered. It was Archie’s birthday. No one was dating anyone back then, they were still kids and it gave Betty a weird satisfaction to see that Jughead was still keeping a memory of them in his room.

She put the frame down to check the posters on his walls.  _ Rebel Without a Cause; Primary Colors; Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!  _ and  _ The Hills Have Eyes _ .

When she finally felt ready to leave the room, she was stopped by the muffling sound of two people arguing. Okay, it wasn’t actually arguing but she was sure they were in some sort of disagreement. She figured it must be JB and Jughead, so she hesitated on leaving the room. And yes, maybe it wasn’t the most elegant thing to do but Betty was a human after all so she didn’t feel very guilty when she put her ear on the door.

***

“So…” JB watched Jughead scrambling eggs. “You and Betty, huh?”

Jughead gave her a glare before he added salt to the mix.

“What are you talking about?”

“Well…” JB got up and pour some coffee for herself. “I am pretty sure she insisted on sleeping on the couch and when I woke up what did I find instead of a gorgeous blonde spread on my couch? My older brother who…” she scrunched her nose when she passed Jughead by, “…apparently forgot what shower is.”

“She fell asleep before I got to give her a pillow and a blanket.” He explained and shrugged. “So…” he trailed off.

“Such a romantic.” JB giggled. “Anyways, I have to go. I promised a friend that I’d help her study Algebra before class.”

When she pulled her back pack Jughead raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms at his chest.

“Which friend is this?”

JB stopped at the door, turned at her brother with full grin on her face.

“A friend who is not currently sleeping on my bed.” She gave him a wave and left the apartment before Jughead could get back at her.

It was still early in the morning and they didn’t have to go to school for nearly two hours. Jughead walked around his apartment as if he is the guest and eat some of the omelet. He was on his second smoke when Betty opened the door.

“Hey,” she gave him an apologetic smile. “Good morning.”

Jughead, who had had imagined this scene in various scenarios way too many times, smiled her back.

“Morning.” He said and put his cigarette out. “There is coffee and omelet, if you want.”

“Coffee would be nice.” she went and poured for herself some, remembering where the cups were from last night.

“You slept well?” Jughead asked when she sat across him.

“Yeah, thanks for that.” A cute blush appeared on her cheeks. “You didn’t have to do that, you know.”

Jughead swallowed and suddenly his empty mug seemed more interesting to look at.

“It was only the right thing to do.” He said.

“I didn’t mean just your room.” Betty whispered and Jughead finally met her gaze.

“I know.” He whispered in the same tone.  

“I better get going.” Betty said. “Have you seen my phone by any chance?”

“Your handbag is over there.” Jughead pointed in the direction of kitchen.

When Betty checked her phone, her battery was almost dead and there was a dozen missed calls and messages from both Veronica and Kevin, one call from Chuck and interestingly, none from her mother.

“This isn’t good.” She talked to herself. “But good news,” she turned to Jughead, “I’m surprised there is nothing on Gossip Girl about where I am.”

“Ooh, Mrs. Cooper wouldn’t be happy with her daughter in Brooklyn now, right?”

Betty rolled her eyes.

“Look, what you said about Polly last night…” she started. “It was very kind of you, but I know there is nothing—”

“I meant what I said, Betty.” Jughead cut her. “I’ll help you find Polly.”

He couldn’t read the expression on her face, but her smile distracted him.

“Thank you.” She said once again. “Jughead, I…” she swallowed and came closer, put her hand on his. “Thank you.

“It’s what friends do, right?” he said with a broken smile and Betty’s faltered as well.

“We are friends now?” she asked with a chuckle.

“Aren’t we?” he asked back and she squeezed his fingers lightly.

“Can I ask one more favor, then?” Jughead wiggled his brows, questioning. “Do you think I can borrow JB’s jogging clothes?”

***

When Betty turned around the corner of her street, carrying a small back pack and wearing a pair of dark green leggings, she hoped it was believable that she went for a run before school.

“I didn’t hear you come in last night.” Her mother said from the kitchen. “You are early.”

“Are those signs of concern or you just stating facts now?” Betty retorted.

“Check your attitude, Elizabeth.” Alice Cooper warned her. “I’m just glad that there was nothing on Gossip Girl this morning.”

“Oh my God,” Betty groaned and opened the fridge to have some orange juice. “You are checking that stupid thing now?”

Alice put her coffee down and raised an eyebrow.

“I’m not making the same mistakes I did with Polly.” She said. “If I have to check a teenage rambling website to check on you, so be it.”

“Or,” Betty trailed off, “You could just ask me how I’ve been, and we can have a real conversation like normal families do.”

“Okay,” Alice played along. “How have you been, Elizabeth?”

“I’ve been better,” Betty drank the rest of her juice and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, making Alice cringe on purpose. “But I’d be better if I knew where my sister was.”

“Elizabeth!”

Betty stormed off the room and yelled, “Thought so!”

She pretended like she was getting ready for school but instead, she went to her mother’s room for some snooping. There were different bills from different shops, there were a few photographs on her desk and then there was a safe. She didn’t know the password and she was completely sure that if she tried one and couldn’t get it, her mother would now. It was too risky.

Next to the safe, though, there was a notebook under her mother’s balancing books.

“Jackpot.” She whispered herself and pulled out her phone, opening her camera.

There were different addresses and phone numbers on the notebook and Betty was grateful that her mother still used old fashioned ways to do her bidding. When she was finally done with it, she made sure everything looked as the same she found them and went for a shower to finally get ready.

“You owe us a GIANT explanation, Betty Cooper!” Veronica practically yelled at her when she arrived on her place to walk to the school together. “Where the hell have you been? We were worried sick and Chuck grumbled something about you being boring and I  _ know  _ he is lying.”

Betty sighed in frustration and stopped in front of the doors.

“He is an ass, that’s what happened.” She said.

“What an ass, though.” She heard Kevin behind her and gave him a glare. “Okay, okay, go on.”

“He said bunch of horrible things about me and Polly because I refused his drug use offer.” She said in a rush, checking if anyone was listening to them. “Then I said I’d go to the restroom but I took my coat and left using the back door. I didn’t want to call either of you because I was so angry at him and I just went home, watched some Reality TV and fell asleep.”

“What a pig!” Veronica huffed. “I have so many things on him to send Gossip Girl, just you wait.”

“No, V, seriously no need for that.” Betty pleaded. “He’s just another asshole in the world.”

“Well,” Veronica raised her chin and pressed her lips. “This asshole hath no fury like Veronica Lodge.” She declared. “He is not getting away with his behavior.”

“At least leave me out of it for now.” She insisted. “I already have so much going on.”

“Ooh, do tell.” Kevin nudged her ribs. “Is it Jughead? Please say it’s Jughead.”

“No, that’s not about him.” She waved her hand dismissively. “It’s Polly.”

“Have you found her!?” Veronica asked in an excited whisper. “Is she coming back?”

“We’ll see about that.” Betty said as they walked to their lockers. “I have a lead and a help offer, I’ll see what I can do.”

“Tell me if you need anything.” Kevin said. “My dad can pull some strings.”

“No, no, thank you. But for now, I need this to be kept between us. If one of your parents knows about this, my mom will know about it, too. I can’t risk it.”

“Anything for you, B.” Veronica linked her arm with hers as they finally got to the class. “Name it and it’s yours.”

“Maybe you are my perfect fit, V.” Betty giggled. “Maybe I should just leave boys all together and drive off to sunset with you.”

Veronica sighed dreamily.

“I can see that.” She gave a kiss on Betty’s cheek. “But I’m already your soulmate, B, let’s not upset boys even more.”

“Especially me.” They heard Kevin behind them.

***

“I cannot believe Lodge and Keller are in cahoots with Betty Cooper.” Ginger told Tina, behind Cheryl. “Hasn’t she done enough already?”

“I don’t know about Betty Cooper but Jughead Jones bringing his poor girlfriend to our school? That’s even worse! What’s next, adopting every trash can on the road?”

Cheryl stopped in the middle of the halls and turned at the girls, her arms crossed at her chest.

“Since when you two bimbos have your own thoughts?” she said, an eyebrow arched. She threw her long hair from one shoulder to the other and started tapping her feet. “Besides, you two may not have the insight on our society but Betty is a Cooper, I’m not even going to explain her importance as a pawn on  _ my _ chessboard.”

“What do you mean?” Tina asked in excitement.

“What I mean, dear Tina,” Cheryl smiled widely, “That our deep rooted social interactions have nothing to do with your simple minded friendly attitude.” She shrugged, “As for Jones, I bet he paid for her tuition fee with the last money his father earned from drugs in Brooklyn. Everyone knows his father’s source of wealth.”

She saw Ginger reaching to her phone and pretended like she didn’t see it at all.

“That Brooklyn Baby is just a charity case for Jones’ redemption amongst us.”

As girls giggled at Cheryl’s comment, Toni passed them by and gave Cheryl a glance. The redhead queen only rolled eyes and ignored. She could walk happily all she wanted like Dorothy in Oz, Cheryl thought. It was only a matter of time before that Topaz girl used her slippers and go back to Kansas.

She couldn’t even bear the thought of Toni telling anyone about what had happened between them two months ago, how could she look anyone’s face anymore? She was Cheryl Blossom, Queen of Hearts of Upper East Side and the last remaining heir of the Blossom Dynasty. Sure, she always loved to be the center of a drama but she could never, ever, afford such a rumor when her mother already was on her throat.

What really happened between them, though, was the only thing that kept Cheryl awake at night. Not Jason, not her family, not her friends or  _ frenemies _ , no – what kept Cheryl lying in her queen-sized bed, watching the ceiling above her was one certain pink haired Brooklyn Busker. She  _ hated _ herself for that. Not because what she did, but because what she couldn’t. So, it was basic math all over again – if she wasn’t going to have it, she would destroy it.

***

In Jughead’s juvenile and lonely mind, there were many, oh so many, different versions of Betty Cooper being in his bed and none of them involved him sleeping on the couch or either of them sleeping, at all. So, when he spent a restless night in their good old couch, he thought about those scenarios and the possibility of them becoming real. It was still childish of him to be so hung up on Betty, he knew that. But he also knew he still waited for something from her, anything. An explanation. An apology. He wanted her to talk to him, like she used to. He wanted to know what made her leave him high and dry, if the reason itself wasn’t him or Archie. He wanted to know if she cared about him, if it was worth to help her. He wanted her to… want him. He wanted her to think about him the way he thought about her at night. At day. All the damn time.

His inner monologue got longer each second he spent on his way to school, already missing the first period. He cut his thoughts with something different (yet still related to Betty, nonetheless but he was trying, okay?). Polly Cooper. On the second thought, really, where was she? He of course was curious on her whereabouts on Jason’s funeral but he was, naturally, completely distracted but the other Cooper sister. Now almost a month later there he was, wondering where his supporter on awful-Blossom-twins-double-dates. Polly used to humor Jughead with her wits when the four of them went on dates. Jason and Cheryl were unbearable to talk to, they’d always found something or someone to criticize or make fun of as if they didn’t spend every fucking day together. Jughead remembered how Polly tried and involved Jughead to their conversations or changed topics to something they could all participate. A pang of guilt hit Jughead’s throat.

Where was Polly Cooper?

He pulled out his phone right before he entered the school and found the number he was looking for.

“Hey,” he said when the other side of the line answered after two rings. “Yeah, it’s me. Look, I know I wouldn’t ask of you guys anything but I’m in a conundrum here.” He listened the ramblings and scolding. “I know what I said, Sweet Pea.” He hissed. “I’m not giving up on my decision either.” He took a deep breath and squeezed the bridge of his nose while Sweet Pea kept talking. “Do this favor and I’ll talk to him about it.” He said. “That’s my final offer.”

Eventually, Sweet Pea came to his senses and agreed. Jughead sighed at his change of heart and trailed his hand through his hair.

“Polly Cooper.” He said. “She’s been away for far too long and no one knows where she is except her mother. Alice Cooper.” There was another objection but Jughead wasn’t having any of it. “I fucking know who the fuck Alice Cooper is.” He said. “Just find where Polly is and I’ll take it from there.”

He only heard Sweet Pea’s, and possibly Joaquin’s ramblings before the line was cut.

When he finally entered the school and caught the second period before it was started he cursed himself. It was biology and his partner was Archie.

After the brunch Archie skipped every biology class with an excuse. One week he had a stomach flu, the other week was his practice week, and last week he simply didn’t show up. So, yes, it wasn’t a super moment for Jughead to realize that Archie was there.

“Hey,” he mumbled when he teamed up with his former best friend and put his lab coat on. Archie was giving him side glances.

“Yeah.” Was all he said before their teacher came in and explained them what to do this week.

“Since you were absent for most of the classes, Mr. Andrews,” their teacher Mr. Belinsky raised his voice, “I’ll let your lab partner to explain what you missed during that time.”

“No need.” Archie said in a rush and Jughead frantically nodded. “I kinda know what to do with a frog, Mr. Belinsky, thanks.”

“I beg to differ, Mr. Andrews.” Their bald and glassed teacher wasn’t any of his objection. “I don’t intend to let you create a mess in my lab.” Then he turned at Jughead. “Now, Mr. Jones, if you’d be so kind…” he trailed off.

“Whatever,” Jughead mumbled and picked Archie’s knife for the examination. “Dead frog.” He pointed at the lifeless body of the unfortunate animal. “Knife.” He handed him the tool. “Cut its stomach.” Then he turned at his subject.

“I know that much, Jughead, I’m not an idiot.” Archie grumbled but he was frowning at his frog.

“He speaks.” Jughead smirked and gave him a glance. “Just start from the top, don’t push it too hard and pull it down. Make sure its chin and head stand just the same.”

Archie took a deep breath and got ready to cut his subject. When he succeeded on his first attempt, his smile was broad.

“Thanks, man.” He said, forgetting about their manly unspeaking attitude and he suddenly cleared his throat, aware of the tension between them. “I mean,” he said in a more serious voice, “Thanks.”

“I get that much, I’m not an idiot.” Jughead repeated his action and took a deep breath. “Are we on speaking terms, now?”

Archie pursed his lips and avoid his gaze, concentrating on his subject at hand. After a minute, he so barely shrugged that Jughead thought he imagined it.

“Homo sapiens, Archie, use their ability to talk on communication. Neanderthals, however, does whatever the nonsense you just did.”

Archie barely could contain his laughter. That was the thing about Archie that Jughead truly admired. His inability to hold grudges.

“Yeah, whatever.” Archie shrugged again and finally looked him in the eye. “Sorry about your chin.”

Jughead absentmindedly rubbed his now healed chin.

“Don’t even mention.” He joked and then he pursed his lips, too. “Sorry about…” he swallowed, “everything, I guess.”

“Thanks.” Archie said and they both got back to their subjects.

By the end of the class they were laughing about Archie’s jock friends and Jughead’s lack of social skills.

“I’m glad to…” Archie pointed between them when they were sitting on the banks in the garden. “whatever the fuck this was is now solved.” When Jughead just nodded and smiled, he kept going. “And, uh, congrats on Toni, was it? I heard she is your girlfriend.”

That moment, Jughead realized that he never cleared the rumors about her. He was in between of keeping his ploy going and just telling everyone to fuck off.

“No need,” he shrugged finally. “She isn’t.”

“But you two were so cozy at the brunch and now she is going to our school and…”

“Well,” Jughead checked the area if anyone was eavesdropping, “we just hang out sometimes but that’s all.”

“That’s what you said last year,” Archie chuckled, “and now you are bringing her to brunch and all that and she goes to our school. Come on, dude.”

“Hate to crush your jock dreams, Arch, but we are not exclusive.” He finalized and pulled out his vibrating phone. “Now if you’ll excuse me,” he saw the caller ID on his phone and got up, “I need to take this.”

“Another girl you are hanging out?” Archie called after him and he smirked at his yet again best friend.

“A jock can hope, Archie,” he yelled back. Maybe this would give Gossip Girl to something else to talk about.

“She is in New York, we know that much.” Sweet Pea said when Jughead answered, skipping the pleasantries. “She never left the city, neither did Alice Cooper. From what we learned, Alice Cooper hadn’t touch her, I quote,  _ out of the city _ car and there wasn’t a mysterious blonde who bought tickets for bus or train.” He said.

“How did you learn that so fast?” Jughead frowned.

“You don’t worry about it, Jones.” Sweet Pea grumbled. “And if she is in New York but still lacks any sorts of communication… there isn’t much place she can be in.”

“Continue.”

“Just look for the places that bans communication.” Sweet Pea lazily sighed, “Like churches or something.” Before Jughead could ask for addresses, “That’s all we could get, Jones. Don’t forget about your promise or you know that I know where you live.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jughead dismissively talked. “We’ve been through that part, I’ll call you.”

“Whatever,” Sweet Pea said before he hung up.

Jughead, on the other hand, feeling useful after such a long time, decided to look for Betty before Alice Cooper could sniff out their “insidious mischiefs” and unleash hell on them. Well, mostly on Jughead but  _ details _ .

***

Between Veronica’s vendetta against Chuck and Kevin’s unstoppable appetite for drama, Betty found herself daydreaming in the middle of the cafeteria. She wouldn’t admit what she was dreading on but when one certain black-haired boy practically appeared right in front of her, she couldn’t help but shudder.

“Hey, Betty.” Jughead smiled, ignoring Veronica’s arched eyebrow and the intrigued look on Kevin’s face. “Can we talk? In private?”

Betty opened her mouth to answer but Veronica was faster.

“Jughead!” she said in faux-cheer. “What do we owe the pleasure?”

Jughead sighed and didn’t even try to replicate Veronica’s expression.

“I need to talk to Betty, Ward Lodge.” He said and turned to Betty, swallowing. “About our literature assignment. Something came up and I can’t study on Dickens today. Can we make a raincheck?”

Betty obviously remembered that they didn’t have a study session today but played along.

“Sure,” she said, pulling her belongings together and getting up. “My phone is in my locker, though, walk me to the lockers?”

“Yeah,” Jughead let her lead the way and Betty waved at their friends. “Ronnie, Kev, always a pleasure.” He said before following her.

“Oh, we know,” Kevin said with a satisfied smile, “what sort of a pleasure you are going after.”

Jughead pretended like he didn’t hear that.

When they reached to Betty’s locker, she crossed her arms and turned to him with an eyebrow arched as a question mark.

“I know that we don’t have a study thing to do today since we…” she cleared her throat and tried to keep her gaze stern, “since we didn’t schedule another.”

Jughead smirked at her nervous attitude and took a deep breath.

“Don’t worry, Dickens is just fine.” He said. “I just got a call from a friend that I wanted to him to look for Polly,” Betty was now gaping at him. “and we have a lead.”

“You… what?” she asked. “You looked for Polly?”

Jughead shrugged and shoved his hands into his pockets.

“Just made a phone call.” He said. “I told you that I’d help.”

Betty licked her lips and could barely secure herself from hugging him in front of the entire school. In another life, she would. And maybe she would do something even more than hugging.

“Jug, I…  _ thank you _ . You didn’t have to, and I don’t know what to—”

“Just don’t thank me yet.” He sighed, “I just know that she is still in New York, have never left the city and her lack of connection indicates places like… I don’t know, churches?”

Betty’s eyebrows were knitted in confusion as she opened her locker to get her phone. After a minute of silence she finally opened the photos that she had taken in secrecy and stood by Jughead’s side for him to see.

“What are we looking at?” Jughead asked as Betty picked another photo to check.

“My mother’s phonebook.” She explained. “Thank god for her still being a 90s journalist.”

Jughead snorted at her comment as they searched the numbers.

“How about this one?” he stopped her. “Ostroff Center?”

“I… don’t know. Never heard of it.”

By the time she was considering the possibility, Jughead pulled out his phone and searched the name on internet.

“Ostroff Center for Misguided Youth.” He read the title and a pang of horror raised in Betty’s chest. “It’s a center for young people who use drugs or has a tendency to suicide.”

Betty tried to avoid Jughead’s gaze and stop her trembling.

“We have to check it out.” Betty whispered. “She could be there.”

“Betty, we don’t know—”

“Don’t we?” she retorted. “No connection, still in New York and a fancy center for rich families to put their kids in. Sounds like Polly to me.”

She was so, so, so angry. Her sister was right under her nose, right under her reach and what she was doing this whole time? Trying to decide what’s the best way of stopping one or two rumors that would be forgotten less than two days? She let her sister down. She knew she did but she just hoped that Polly would forgive her once she rescued her.

“Come to my place after school.” Jughead suggested. “We can move from there and come up with a plan and—”

“Jughead, no.” Betty waved her hands. “I can’t risk it.”

“Risk what?”

“Saving Polly, of course!” she said in a rushed whisper. “My mother checks damn Gossip Girl and if we are seen together, forget it, we are compromised. And I can’t risk anymore stupid rumors.” She shook her head at his objection and continued, “No, thank you for everything you’ve done for me and my sister but—”

“Betty, stop!” Jughead pulled her to a relatively more private area that was an empty classroom. “I said I’d help you and I  _ will _ help you. Period.”

Betty bit her lip and blinked back her tears rapidly.

“I can do this alone.” She insisted. “I can save my sister myself.”

Jughead slowly smiled and squeezed her shoulder.

“This I have no doubt.” He whispered back. “But you don’t have to.”

Betty smiled him back and put her hand on the hand on her shoulder.

“Thank you, Jughead.” She said. “You have no idea how much you are helping me.”

He shrugged and pulled his hand back.

“You’d do the same.” He said and turned his back at her to leave but Betty reached and grabbed his arm.

“After when this is all over,” she swallowed and looked him in the eye with determination. “We’ll talk.”

Jughead gave her a complicated look that she couldn’t exactly cipher.

“We’ll talk.” He smiled softly and left the classroom.

***

“So, here’s the plan.” Betty collected her friends together after school, yet in an abandoned classroom. “We have an idea where Polly might be.” She took a deep breath and looked at Jughead for confidence. “And I need your help. All of you.”

“Anything, B,” Veronica said. “But I must say I do not enjoy this all “ _ we”  _ thing you two got going on.”

“Not the time, Veronica,” Jughead said in a warning tone. “Not the damn time.”

“Shut it, Prince Charming,” Kevin nudged his ribs. “You don’t get a say in this.”

“You are even worse than Gossip Girl, Kevin.”

“You take that back!”

“Enough!” Betty raised her hands in air. “Just stop, all of you! The only reason I let the two of you,” she pointed Veronica and Kevin, “In this because,” she gave Jughead a brief glance and cleared her throat, “it’s because I don’t want to do this alone. So please behave accordingly.”

Kevin put his hand on Betty’s and smiled.

“What’s the plan?”

“Easy,” Veronica hushed Betty. “Jughead and I go there, distract the manager and Betty waits her outside of the building while Kevin is in our getaway car.” All three of them gaped at her. “What?”

“Just a quick review.” Kevin raised his finger. “First, why you and Jughead are teaming up? Second, how do you think Betty could wait outside of the building without being in sight and third, I don’t have a getaway car.”

“Right.” Veronica frowned. But in a second her face was lit up. “I know someone with a getaway car.”

“Please don’t say—” but Jughead was interrupted.

“Archie!” Veronica clasped her hands. “He has a brand-new car that he still didn’t pick up from the gallery, I can totally talk him into it and B, he’ll be happy to help you and your sister, you know that.”

“Look, I know and  _ adore  _ Archie just like any other decent American citizen should,” Kevin said tentatively. “But can we trust him shutting up about this?”

“Forget it,” Jughead said. “We’d be compromised in a minute before even we get there.”

“Archiekins is a smart bean.” Veronica defended his boyfriend. “And I know that he wouldn’t do anything that would harm Betty.”

When Kevin snorted at that, both Betty and Jughead rolled eyes.

“ _ Fine.” _ Veronica gave up. “But this plan requires a getaway car and Archie has one.”

Betty took a deep breath before she rushed into this so called plan. She already let three people in her mess, would one be overcrowded at this point?

“Call Archie.” She said, ignoring Jughead’s dagger looks. “Tell him that we’ll meet him at Starbucks down the street of Met’s steps.”

“Why there?”

“Because, Jones,” Kevin took a dramatic pause, “that is the only place that people wouldn’t be gossipy about it when they see us all together, minus Cheryl. She hates the place.”

“Exactly,” Betty supported him, “We can’t let Cheryl in on this before I get to see Polly myself first. She’d be all murderous about it.”

“Fine.” He grumbled. “But I still don’t get why it’s me  _ and  _ Veronica that distracts the manager.”

“And you are a self-proclaimed genius,” Veronica clicked her tongue. “It’s because, we are the best liars in the group and don’t care if anybody buys it or not, so we are cool about it and don’t blow our cover.”

“When have you ever seen me lying to come to that conclusion?” Jughead chuckled and when he saw Veronica’s arched eyebrow he cleared his throat, avoiding everyone’s gaze on him. “Right.  _ That. _ ”

“So?” Betty ignored the whole exchange and looked all of them in the eye one by one, “Are we doing this or not?”

“Operation Gone Girl Coop is a go,” Kevin said confidently. “Just don’t tell Archie what we are up to until we got there,” he warned, “No offense, Veronica, but that boy does not have a filter whatsoever when he is excited.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Veronica argued while Jughead and Kevin exchanged a knowing look. “What?” she insisted.

“We use the same locker rooms since we are seven,” Jughead grumbled. “And Archie  _ loves _ talking.”

“Oh—” Veronica gave confused sigh and, “ _ Oh _ ,” she said. “Oh, Archie.”

“Yeah,” Kevin said. “We know about that, too.”

“Can we focus?” Betty interrupted them. “V, you just call Archie and tell him you need a ride for a friend that your dad doesn’t like, I’m sure he’ll happy to help you out.”

“Andrews is in for it.” Veronica mumbled and got her bag. “Meet me at my place in 20, B, we can go together. Kev, bring Jughead along and make sure he isn’t submitted to the place while we get another one out.”

“Touching, Veronica.”

“Oh, honey, you have no idea.”

***

Okay, this plan wasn’t the best idea he’d ever heard but it was something and Betty seemed satisfied with it -- so, yes, he’d do it. Of course he would.

When Jughead found himself with Kevin, walking to Starbucks, he thought this wasn’t going to be easy by any means. Not because kidnapping a Cooper in New York on a school night was a suicide mission but because teaming up with Kevin and Veronica meant an endless interrogation about Betty’s whereabouts the other night. He just hoped she didn’t tell them.

“So,” Jughead thought Kevin started his turn of interrogation but the most decent boy of upper east side was full of surprises. “You got one of those for me?” Kevin was pointing at Jughead’s cigarette dangling on his lips.

“I didn’t know you smoke.” Jughead raised an eyebrow while offered him one and lit it up. 

“Why? Because I’m gay?” Kevin asked in a mock horror. “Jughead Jones, that is so offensive!”

“Kevin come on, I didn’t mean--”

“Just teasing you.” Kevin chuckled and took a long drag. “Man, I haven’t had one of these for a long time.”

Jughead gave him a knowing look. 

“Joaquin?” he asked and Kevin nodded.

“Yeah.” he said. “Not that it matters anymore but, yeah,  _ Joaquin _ .” 

They kept their silence until their cigarettes were out and Jughead felt that he was supposed ask about it.

“You guys haven’t seen each other since?” he tried.

Kevin, with an obvious bafflement on his face, turned his gaze at Jughead while kept walking.

“No.” he said with a bitterness in his voice. “It’s kinda what happens when you are dumped by someone out of nowhere.”

Jughead avoid Kevin’s gaze and shoved his hands into his jacket’s pockets. 

“Yeah. I get the feeling.”

“Of course you do.” Kevin chuckled and Jughead didn’t even bother himself with asking why. “You know all the sides of being dumped, don’t you, Jones?”

“Don’t make this about me.” Jughead grumbled. “I was just being kind, cut me some slack here.”

“Fine, fine.” Kevin said and pointed him the building down the street. “We are almost here.” As Jughead nodded Kevin stopped in the middle of the street. “For what it’s worth, Jughead, I do appreciate what you’re doing for Betty.”

“I’m not just--”

“I was just being kind, cut me some slack here.” Kevin parroted him and kept walking without waiting for him. 

Served him right, Jughead thought.

***

Ostroff Center for Troubled Youth was a place of pastels, rich white aesthetic and golden serendipity -- definitely a perfect match for the Cooper family. When Betty, Veronica and Jughead walked through the halls, she stood between the two of them and acted like she was carrying them around. When they finally reached to the help desk, Betty took a deep breath to face the staff that was a middle aged woman. 

“Hello,” she said with her nicest tone. “I found my friends outside of my apartment and I know they are like, the literal party people but I’m afraid,” she lowered her voice to a whisper, “they might be on something.”

“Something enough to get us high!” Veronica said in a high pitched voice. “I mean, we only deserve the best, don’t we?”

The woman eyed them with concern and Betty nudged Jughead to contribute who acted like he just woke up.

“Huh? Yeah, the best. Do you know who our parents are? You know what, never mind. Just,” he slurred the “s” and rolled “r’s”. “Just know that they could even buy  _ you _ , if we wanted.”

The woman sighed at his pompous behavior and turned her attention at Betty.

“What do you think they are on?”

Betty swallowed and tried to balance them, wrapping her arms around Veronica’s shoulder and Jughead’s waist. 

“I don’t know, bunch of things? LSD, for sure. Maybe coke, too. Oh,” she remembered the best one. “Probably Jingle Jangle.”

“Jingle Jangle?” the woman gasped. “You wait here with them, dear, I’ll find someone to check on them.”

Betty gave her the best grateful smile she could manage and as soon as the woman took a turn, she let go both of them and Jughead went behind the counter, searching Polly’s name in the files.

“Okay, we have probably five minutes, if we’re lucky.” she said and took a  **pin** out of her head. “You two guard here, if someone comes--”

“I’ll let them know who my father is.” Veronica smirked.

“Room 106.” Jughead whispered and looked for the numbers around them. “That’s 104.” he pointed at a door behind Betty. “So it must be close.”

“Yeah.” Betty swallowed and walked fast to get to the room, making a mental note to thanks Jughead later.

When she found the room she realized it wasn’t locked, figuring that must be some Alice Cooper-ish way of keeping tabs at Polly all times.

And there she was. A wave of relief washed away all the pain Betty endured. 

She wasn’t sleeping but her back was turned at the door, probably reading a book. 

“Polly?”

The other blonde raised her head at the voice, not turning at her for a second.

“Betty?” she said with a cracked voice, throwing the book away to hug her sister. “You found us!”

Betty, mesmerized by actually finding her sister, didn’t pay attention the “us” part.

“Polly, we don’t have much time.” She rushed. “Take everything you need and let’s go.”

Polly went for a small bag in her closet, throwing clothes in it and getting her coat on her.

“Wait,” she took the bag but stopped. “Does mom know about this?”

Betty’s face fell as she shook her head but Polly’s seemed lightened up with a grin.

“Nice, let’s go.”

They rushed into the hall as they saw Veronica and Jughead anxiously waiting.

“How many people know about this?”

“Only the ones that matter.” Jughead took her bag as Veronica led them to a fire escape. “We found a better way than the back door.” He explained as they started to climb down. “Still on the backside of the building, though.”

“Good thinking.” Polly murmured and Betty shot a thank you glance at Jughead.

When they finally got out, they saw Archie and Kevin waiting in a rather awkward seemed silence.

“Archie? Kevin?”

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll have time for a reunion.” Kevin opened the doors. “We gotta get out of here first.”

When they were in the car, they were practically sitting on one another. Polly, as the runaway, took the front seat while Veronica sat on Betty’s lap next to Kevin and Jughead.

“Huh, that’s more comfortable than I thought.” Veronica grinned at her best friend and Betty giggled. “We should practice this more, B, you know. For science.”

“Way to go subtle, Ronnie.” Archie chuckled. “So, where?”

They all fell into silence with the question, since everyone’s house would be a death trap for both of the Cooper girls. Lodges would immediately call Alice, Fred Andrews would ask too many questions and Deputy Chief Keller wouldn’t be an ally either, to say the least. Outside of the city wasn’t even an option since they’d get caught within an hour.

“My place is safe.” Jughead cleared his throat. “Dad wouldn’t even realized if Polly was there or not and we can trust JB.”

“We already put so many people in danger.” Betty opposed the idea. “I can’t get your family into this, either.”

“Nonsense.” Jughead said. “It’s safe, it’s out of the Upper East Side and let’s face it, Alice Cooper wouldn’t even think that her daughters would be in Brooklyn.”

Polly and Betty exchanged looks from the rear mirror and Polly gave her a slight nod.

“Okay.” She said. “We’ll figure something out later.”

“To Brooklyn, then?” Archie asked.

“To Brooklyn, Archie.” Kevin confirmed.

***

There they were, in Jughead’s apartment once again to save her ass, Betty thought. How was she gonna even pay him back one day? Amongst other things, that was.

“Thank you, Jughead.” Polly said when she threw herself on the couch. “You don’t even know how much you’ve helped us.” 

“No problem,” he said. “For old times’ sake, right?”

Polly gave her a broken smile while Betty sat down next to her, holding her hand. 

“And I feel like I need to make an explanation why our lunatic of a mother locked me up in a facility.”

“Polly, you really don’t--” 

“But I should, Veronica.” she cut her off and took a deep breath, squeezing Betty’s hand. “I don’t know what you guys have been told but it wasn’t just because Jason…” she swallowed when her voice croaked at the name. “Is gone.” she took of her coat, and then her sweater to reveal a skinny black tank top with a small bump. 

“Oh my god.” Veronica whispered while others seemed confused.

“Yeah.” Polly swallowed and pulled Betty’s hand on her stomach. “They locked me up because I’m pregnant.”

It literally fell on them like a bomb.

“How--?”

“Why didn’t you--?” 

“Does Cheryl--?”

“Did  _ Jason-- _ ?”

“Can you all shut the hell up for a moment, pretty please?” Polly raised her hands. “One question at a time.” Everyone fell silent and she gave them an assurring smile. “Yes, Archie?” he was raising his hand like damn elementary kid, Betty thought.

“Uh… how long since… you know… have… that?”

“Way to go, Arch.” Jughead mumbled under his breath and Polly sighed.

“Three months.” she said. “And yes, Jason knew about this but…” she avoided her gaze and took a shaky breath. When she collected herself back, she turned at them and smiled. “I’d like to rest for the night.” she announced and turned at Jughead. “Can I get a pillow and a blanket, if you don’t mind?”

“Nonsense.” Jughead waved his hand at her. “Take JB’s room for the night, she’s staying at a friend’s house. We’ll figure something out later.”

Polly gave them a hesitant look and Betty hugged her. 

“Sleep tight, Polly. I’ll bring stuff from home and we’ll find a way out from this tomorrow before even mom could spot us.”

Polly hugged her tight as well and kissed her cheek. 

“I love you so much, Betty. I knew you wouldn’t give up on me like mom wanted me to believe.”

“And I knew you wouldn’t refuse my calls, Pol. There is not enough Alice Cooper in this world that can separate us.”

“One is quite enough, though.” Polly gave teary chuckle. “And thank you, guys,” she turned at their friends. “All of you. I’m forever in your debt.”

“Just make it out from your family and the Blossoms, Polly.” Veronica hugged her as well. “That’s enough for all of us.”

“I’ll do my best.” Polly said and bid her goodbyes before she went into JB’s room.

“Well, that was a night.” Veronica huffed. “Archiekins, we should get going, too. Daddy will ask questions if we stay out too late on a school night.”

“Yeah, sure.” Archie nodded. “Betty, you coming?”

“I’ll stay longer to see if Polly need anything.” she said. “You guys go, really. You did enough tonight.”

“Oh, B,” Veronica held her hand. “It’s nothing, thanks for indulging us.”

Two girls shared a look in a way only best friends could understand which made Kevin cleared her throat. 

“I called Alain.” he said uncomfortably. “I really don’t wanna spend my time in Brooklyn more than it is necessary.” he looked at Jughead. “No offense.”

“None taken.” he grinned. 

***

As they all left the loft, Betty saw them out and closed the door, leaning her back against it and giving a long breath. Then, she locked eyes with Jughead who was sitting on a stool.

“You have no idea how much trouble you saved me from.” she whispered. “And after all this time, you didn’t even have to.” She tuck a hair behind her ear and walked towards him. “Thank you, Juggie.”

Jughead pursed his lips, reaching a hand to squeeze her shoulder and much to his surprised, she tilted her head on his hand. 

“Are you okay?” he whispered. 

“I will be.” she murmured. “Eventually.”

He pulled his hand back, gently, and rose from his seat, standing right in front of Betty. She was so… right there with her bright green eyes and all the golden vibe that beamed off of her. 

“You are stronger than all the white noise out there, Betty Cooper.” he said with a soft smile. “You’ll be just fine in no time.”

Betty’s eyes were teary now, her hands clutching Jughead’s lapels. 

“I know I owe you an explanation.” she choked on her tears while Jughead worried and instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist. “And you need to hear it, Jug.” she continued. “You need to know why I left first Archie then you and then the whole city.” 

“What is it?” he asked with a hoarse voice, trying not to cry as well. “Why, Betts?”

“Because…” she sniffed with a sad smile. “Because I was ruined, Jug. I ruined myself and everything along with it. I wasn’t as strong as you think I am. I wasn’t a hero. I ruined  _ everything _ . I ruined  _ you  _ and running was just… the best option I had.”

“What happened?” he asked one more time. 

“I loved you at a very, very wrong time, Jughead.” 

***

_ “I loved you at a very, very wrong time, Jughead.”  _

Jughead’s mouth went dry while trying to process what he’d just heard. He blinked his eyes twice and swallowed, realizing that he was still holding Betty really,  _ really _ close. He didn’t want to let go of her, he didn’t want her to take it back but he also didn’t know what to say besides the simple question eating his mind alive for a year now.

“Then why did you leave, Betty?”

Betty ran a hand through his chest and put it on his heart, tears pricking in her eyes. It was such a pure, broken vision before him and he felt the real meaning of what it was like to be cursed.

Betty licked her lips and seemed like she was about to stop talking but Jughead knew better: Betty Cooper, despite whatever he thought of her or wanted her to be, was indeed a true definition of fighter. Maybe not in the best ways, but she wouldn’t go down without a fight. 

“Because I felt like I was cheating everyone else around me and the feeling was eating me alive.” she whispered. “I… Jughead, I was…” she took a deep breath and tore their gaze apart. “I was on drugs for some time back then.” she said finally and Jughead assumed he must heard it wrong. 

“I…” he cleared his throat, “I don’t understand.” Sure, they did weed as a group from time to time -- it wasn’t such a big deal once you are an Upper East Sider and knew the best dealers in the city but if Betty meant what he thought she did… 

“I did Jingle Jangle.” she said finally. “LSD, cocaine, whatever was on the list for the night, I found the best ones in the city.” she gave a humorless chuckle and Jughead froze. “I started when we are all freshmen and I don’t know… It was easier to tune down my mother’s voice in my head and the absence of my father, I guess.”

Must had felt Jughead’s body going stiff under her touch, she stepped back and his hand fell to his side. She went to sat down, taking a deep breath and waited for him to say something.

The emptiness she created left a bitter taste in Jughead’s mouth and he immediately missed the feeling of her hand on his chest. 

“You left because you did drugs?” he asked, cannot believe that would be the reason to leave everything behind. “I mean… couldn’t you just go to a facility? Your mother seems fond of them.” he cracked an unnecessary joke which made Betty gave a shaky smile.

 

“I wish it would be that simple.” she said, trying not to make fists and broke the delicate skin of her hands. “But when I did drugs… I mean, the last time I did drugs…” she took a deep breath, trying how to put it into words without being absolutely gross about it. She had played (or at least tried) that night in her head maybe a thousand times. The more she thought about it, the more it became pathetic and unbearable. It was about  _ him _ . It was always about  _ him _ .

“The last time I did drugs, I was with Archie…” there was no going back this time. “And we were having sex.”

Obviously disturbed with the thought, Jughead made a face which she decided to ignore.

“Didn’t need the details, I think.” he said, a hand in his pocket, standing before her with his ever messy hair and worn out pants. He lit up a cigarette which Betty couldn’t blame him for.

“I was really high.” she continued. “I was… on some stuff I can’t remember the name of but I do remember that I was hallucinating.” she said and he seemed concerned for a second.  _ Only if he knew. _ “I don’t remember much of that night except one part which kept me awake the whole night and haunted me for a week.” she tried to stall but it was too late for that. 

“What was it?” he asked, hesitated that he might scare her off. Could Betty blame him?

No. She couldn’t blame him for anything. Not anymore.

“It was you, Jug.” she said finally, bewildered that she uttered the words inside her head for such a long time. “I was on drugs and I thought… I hallucinated that he was you.” He sucked a breath and she locked her eyes with his, trying to understand what he felt, if he felt the way she did, if he was just as scared as she had been. “I  _ wanted  _ him to be you.”

“What?” he whispered, his cigarette was now long forgotten in the ashtray next to the window. “ _ What _ ?”

“I wasn’t exaggerating when I told you that I… that it was a very wrong time.” she tried to smile. “You were with Cheryl and there was this whole thing going on with your parents. Me, on the other hand, I was dealing with my own demons in the worst ways possible and Archie just… he wasn’t the one I felt like I should be with.” She got up and ran her hand through her golden locks. “There wasn’t anyone I could ask for help.” she said. “Everyone had their own lives going on and I just…” she stood in front of him. “I wanted you, Jug.” she said. “And when I had you, when I thought I had you… I realized that it was all a big mistake. It was all a result of my own selfishness.” 

Jughead’s face was a mess now -- crowded with different emotions, a scowl on his face indicating that he wasn’t ready to embrace her as she was.

“What happened that night?” he asked finally. “When we did… you know. Where did you go?” But of course, he wanted to know the whole story as he always had. 

“I went back to a friend’s place, I did drugs again and drank more until I blacked out.” she said with a dry voice. “Then I woke up in the middle of the night, realizing the mess I had created and I don’t know…” she sighed, once again averting his gaze. “Leaving the town seemed like the best option for everyone. A clean slate, space for you to forget your mistake…”

 

Being the boy he was, Jughead wasn’t one for the words; at least not for one to utter them. Writing was a safer choice -- gave him enough time to speak of his mind and soul, react the way he saw fit. However, right now, right in front of the gorgeous blonde saying things he didn’t exactly expect her to say was completely bizarre, if anything. He expected less… troubled stuff from Betty, much to his mistake. He, like many of the Upper East Siders, expected her perfect image to stay as it was if not a little bit less glamoured. He always knew there was more to her soul, more to her mind than any other person he had met, that was for sure. But he had never in his miserable life even considered that Betty would be so upset that she’d look for answers in drugs, of all places. 

He felt like a useless friend, besides many other things.

And there was that thing with the hallucinations. 

“It wasn’t a mistake.” he said finally, feeling like it was his turn to speak his truth. “You were -- that night was never a mistake, Betty.” he took a few steps towards her, being afraid of the possibility of she might run away again. He put his hands on her upper arms softly, looking directly in her eyes. “I don’t know how it started.” he barely spoke which awoke goosebumps in her skin so he slid his hands to hers, caressing her skin while doing so. “I saw you one day with that big bright smile of yours,” he almost chuckled. “Laughing at something Kevin said in the school on a literature class and I thought… I don’t know, it was like a punch in the gut. I felt like I was so, so late.” 

She took a shaky breath at his confession, her chest going up and down with her uneven breaths. 

“And when that night we did… what we did… I knew I was doing something so wrong, something so unspeakable in this crazy world we live in. I knew I was being an unfaithful asshole towards both Cheryl and Archie. But I just… You were there, Betty.” he smiled this time with more confidence. “You were right there, only for me and I thought… I don’t know what I thought.” he ended his sentence with a huff. “But I do know that I consider many things I have done since that night as mistakes but this one particular event. Was it wrong? Yeah. Was the timing could be any worse? Probably not.” Now Betty gave in a dark chuckle as well and he felt the tension had easened. “But a mistake?” he took a deep breath and his smile faded when he looked her in the eye. “Definitely not.”

“I didn’t know you felt that way.” she said after a long few seconds. “I’m so, so sorry, Juggie.”

“You didn’t have the time for it.” he said and immediately regretted it. “And I’m sorry for not realizing back then that you… needed help. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.”

“Only you’d apologize for my mistakes.” she said and swallowed, entwining her fingers with his. 

 

Jughead released his hands from her and put one on her waist and the other on her cheek, pulling her close.

Kissing Betty Cooper was something Jughead had been dreamed of for far too long; something he had tried to erase from his mind by kissing other people, by letting other people kiss him and hoping that it would work, he would finally be free of her haunting memory.

He realized how wrong he had been when he finally, finally kissed her after a year of agony.

Her lips were tear stained but so soft that it made him felt like he was kissing rain clouds up in the sky. He felt like he  _ was _ floating in the sky when he wrapped his arms around Betty. He closed his eyes, trying to engrave this memory into his brain. She was kissing him back, she was kissing him back with a passion which was in an amazing juxtaposition with her softness. She was kissing him like she wanted to break him, she was kissing him like she wanted to have every part of him.

He was more willing than a martyr fighting for their god.

When they parted for air, he pulled her close once again and left a kiss on her temple which made her sigh in contentment.

She put her head on his chest and he rested his cheek on it.

“Are you okay now?” he whispered looking out from the window to the lone streets of Brooklyn.

“Never better.” She slowly chuckled.

“I’m not asking that,” he chuckled as well. “Which was good to know, might I add.” He stepped back and put his hands on her shoulders. “I was asking about the… you know.”

Her content smile faltered a bit and Jughead cursed himself for being the reason of it.

“The boarding school I went was especially for rich kids with rich problems.” she said. “I’ve been clean ever since.”

Jughead gave a relieved sigh and smiled. 

“I’m always here for you, Betts.” he said. “If you ever need to talk or something or need anything… I’m here.”

Betty leaned in and gave him a soft, unhurried kiss. 

“I think we should sleep.” she said. “To get ready to the storm gathering that is my mother.”

“I can take the couch.” he said hesitantly. “You can sleep in my bed.”

Betty gave him a sultry look when she walked towards his room. She stopped in the middle and turned at him over her shoulder.

“Alone?”

Whatever tomorrow could bring, he would be stronger by her side, Jughead thought. And everything else would be just fine.

***

_ Where are My Favorite People? _

_ Oh, dear Upper East Siders, I am in much despair. Did you also realize that no one is around today or is it just my withdrawal symptoms from my daily need of gossip? _

_ Apparently, our one and only Golden Girl came back with her brand new dramas that lured her friends back in the darkness, am I right? _

_ Oh, we’ll see. _

_ But I’m feeling like this Thanksgiving I’ll have much to bring to the table. _

_ Just stay in touch like you always do, you know you love me. _

_ XOXO, Gossip Girl. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for bearing with me this entire time! hope to see you around, come find me on tumblr: newurleans <3

**Author's Note:**

> [radio silence]
> 
> so... that's that. please please please leave a kudos and a comment, thank you so much for reading it!


End file.
